She is Wrath
by Great White Snake
Summary: Family defined her, and she would protect it until her last breath. Then they died. Gone. Anger was better than tears, better than grief, better than guilt. She is the villain of this story. Putting herself back together as the story goes on. Burning all on her path. This is who Akira Uchiha was. She is wrath. Blue eyes holding more darkness than any brown eyes he'd ever seen.
1. Akira Uchiha

In the Konoha spring, the trees that lined the avenue were clothed in pink and white blossoms, and the fragrance of the jasmine flowers that lined the ground wafted through the air. To see the boughs that were so bereft in the winter became so beautifully adorned lifted Akira's spirits. The floral scents became diffused in the warming breeze and the young ninja held her head high to savour it. When their petals rained down in a steady trickle a few weeks later, she feel like a bride just to walk under them.

As Akira slowly trekked from home to the Academy, she stopped to pick a few bundles of lavender, sweet and purple. The green stalks swaying in the wind, the flowers filling the air with their fragrance. Akira smiled peacefully. Nothing could disrupt the tranquility that she felt in that moment. Except maybe Naruto Uzumaki running past her laughing his head off, two shinobi hot on his heels. Akira stood as he ran past, the current of air pulled by the three people making her long black hair sway in their direction. The girl let out a breathy chuckle and calmly continued on her journey to the academy, admiring Hokage Rock, Naruto's freshly painted graffiti comically adorning the Hokage's faces.

"Oh, Naruto..."

Soon, Akira found herself on one of the main streets of Konoha, the old traditional looking buildings still colourful after years of exposure to the elements. The street was less peaceful, but the hum of voices coming from the happy villagers put a smile on the young girl's face, her dark blue eyes sparkling with happiness. Akira loved Konoha, loved the people of Konoha. That's why she swore to protect them, and enrolled in the Academy as soon as she could. Just then, a light tap on her shoulder brought her back to reality. Akira looked to her left.

"Good morning, Kai," she said.

Kai Manzo and Akira Uchiha had been best friends nearly since birth. She loved him to bits. Whether it was because of his mischievous golden eyes or wild white hair and crooked smile she didn't know, but there was nothing that was going to keep them apart. Kai and Akira met every morning on the way to the Academy and walked together. However, Akira was surprised to see him today.

"Shouldn't you be goofing off with Naruto?"

"Nope," Kai said, popping the 'p'. "He did that one all on his own."

Naruto and Kai were Konoha's resident pranksters, though Kai somehow managed to always get himself out of trouble each time, leaving Naruto to get the punishment. For some reason, Naruto didn't mind, and they remain to this day partners in crime.

The Academy was quite large and was comprised of several building that were erected over time, some parts being weathered by time other, nearly brand new. The large ancient oak tree that stood in front of the main door was beautiful as ever in the golden beams of the sun, the wind gently swaying its vibrant leaves and the small swing that hung from the sturdiest branch. Akira glanced at the large sign beside it which showed the kanji for 'fire' - it had been repainted over the weekend. The classrooms in the Academy were large and had high ceilings, based on the theory that larger classrooms lead to expansive education, expanding even to the blackboard itself which touched both opposite walls. In front of the blackboard was a podium, situated far from the students' desks and put in a position where the teacher could view everyone at once.

As with any school, students were taught a core curriculum of reading, writing, mathematics, science and geography - amongst others. These lessons were typically framed in a ninja-context, and in fact are learned in order to facilitate later instruction in tactics and strategy. Students learn the Shinobi Rules, how to strengthen their minds and bodies, and receive special lectures from veteran shinobi. They are taken through the handling of ninja weapons and tools, like shuriken and kunai, learning how to throw and wield them through target practice, as well as instructed on the basics of trap-setting. Academy students are also taught about chakra and how to use it, as well as hand seals. Shinobi classes can be broken into the basic levels of Taijutsu classes which serve as the Ninja Academy's equivalent of physical education. In taijutsu class, students are engaged in physical activities to help train their bodies and develop their stamina. Sparring is common; Ninjutsu classes provide the bulk of what potential ninja learn at the Academy. Students are taught about chakra, how to manipulate it and use hand seals, and ultimately how to use techniques such as the Transformation Technique and the Clone Technique; Genjutsu classes are focused less on how to create illusions and more on how they work. Students are taught how to determine if they are trapped in a genjutsu, and then how to release themselves from it.

Girls must also attend kunoichi classes, where they are taught about other cultures and how skills such as flower arranging will help them to blend in during an infiltration mission. Akira disliked that class very much; she preferred Ninjutsu training with the boys.

Akira and Kai entered their classroom and sat down at the place they always did. Desks were shared by three students and, as usual, Akira sat beside her other best friend Kiba Inuzuka. Kiba's personality and fighting style was complemented by his wild appearance as, while clearly human, he has several physical traits more akin to animals. Like most of his clan, he Kiba has messy brown hair, sharp black eyes, pronounced canine teeth, and nails that he can change into claws. He also has the distinctive red fang markings of the Inuzuka clan on his cheeks. He looked a little intimidating, and could be quite headstrong and sometimes egotistical, but he was loyal to his comrades and downright fun to be around.

"You're here early," Akira said, sitting down next to Kiba.

"Had to bring Hana to daycare before coming here," he said simply.

"Your mother is working this early?" Kai asked.

"Yeah, something about Naruto again."

"He painted graffiti on the Hokage."

"I'm not surprised," a voice from behind said. "Iruka sensei is gonna be late because of him. What a drag."

Though lazy by nature and finding nearly everything 'a drag', Shikamaru Nara had a rare intellect that consistently allowed him to prevail in combat. However, Shikamaru is naturally a lazy person and has inclination is to do as little work as possible. Remarkably, he is able to get away with his laziness, spending his days in class either sleeping, watching the clouds or playing games of shōgi and Go. He was easy to get along with, which is why he was another one of Akira's good friends.

"You think everything's a drag, Nara," Kai said.

"That's because everything is a drag, Manzo," Shikamaru said lazily, looking back outside.

"I just hope he doesn't get into too much trouble," Akira said, a little worried.

"There aren't many chances of that happening, Akira," the person beside Shikamaru said.

Sasuke Uchiha was, according to most girls, quite handsome. He had the same black hair as his twin sister which hung over his face and was spiked up at the back. He never spoke much and never smiled, all that thanks to their older brother Itachi, who, well, you know the story. Sasuke was a happy child, eager to please and be worthy of his family name, but he became cold towards others, unmoved by and uninterested in what they did or thought of him, choosing instead to keep to himself. His only goal in life became to take revenge for his family's deaths.

"Always the pessimist, aren't you brother?" Akira said.

Sasuke glanced at her then looked away silently. Akira sighed and turned back towards the front. Just then, Iruka-sensei walked in to the classroom, huffing and puffing, Naruto trailing behind him, bound with ropes; they'd finally managed to catch him. And now, Akira predicted, he was going to be lectured.

"I'm at the end of my rope, Naruto," Iruka-sensei said. It seemed as if he was continuing a conversation. "You failed the graduation test last time and the one before that. Tomorrow you've got another chance, and you're messing up again!"

But Naruto wasn't having it. He glared at Iruka-sensei and turned his head in a huff. Sensei was exasperated.

"Now, because you missed it, everyone will review the Transformation Jutsu!"

There was a collective groan issued from the classroom, but everyone shuffled to the front and lined up. First up was Sakura Haruno, a young girl with garish pink hair and pale green eyes that was completely infatuated with Sasuke, not that he would ever give her the time of day. Akira didn't hate her, but she didn't like her either.

"All right, Sakura here, let's do it! Transform!"

She held her hands in the appropriate seal and in a blast of grey smoke, Sakura turned into Iruka-sensei.

"You transformed into me? Good. Next!"

"Yes! I did it!" Sakura said happily. "Sasuke did you see that?"

"Next! Akira Uchiha!"

Akira rolled her eyes and went up next, nearly shoving the pink-haired girl out of the way. She placed her hands in the correct seal and didn't even speak, simply thought of transforming, and she turned herself into Iruka. He looked up and smiled.

"Great! Next!"

"This is a total waste of time," Shikamaru complained.

"Shut up, Shikamaru," Akira said, albeit with a smile. "Everything is a waste of time for you, get used to it."

"Yeah, we always pay for your screw ups!" another girl said. This time it was Ino Yamanaka, a blonde girl who was equally as infatuated with Sasuke, which made her equally as annoying as Sakura.

"Like I care," Naruto grumbled.

And it went on and on until Naruto went up last, as usual. And as usual, Naruto couldn't pass up the opportunity to goof off. He stepped up to the front and placed his hands together, but instead of transforming into Iruka-sensei, he transformed into a tall and quite naked blonde girl who greatly resembled Naruto. Taken off-guard, Iruka shrieked as Naruto transformed back into his normal self and burst out laughing.

"Got ya! That was my 'Sexy Jutsu'!"

"Cut the stupid tricks!" Iruka-sensei yelled. "This is your last warning!"

Class was dismissed soon after that, and all the students filed out of the classroom, except Naruto who stayed behind to go clean up the mess he had made of the Hokage's faces. In the meantime, Kai, Kiba, Shikamaru and herself went to the small training yard behind the school to practice their aim. Kai and Kiba used kunai to practice, Akira used shuriken (an Uchiha classic) and Shikamaru decided it was a good idea to nap underneath a tree. Eventually, a few more students joined them and even began a not-so-friendly friendly competition, which Kai won.

"You only won because Shikamaru startled me!" Akira complained.

"It's not my fault I was having a horrible dream," Shikamaru defended poorly.

"What were you dreaming about that made you screech like a girl?" Kiba barked, laughing loudly.

"Your mother."

"Hey!"

The four friends parted ways just before dusk and returned home, but Akira took a detour to Ichiraku ramen, in case Naruto was there. When she arrived, he and Iruka-sensei were there, eating their fill. Akira smiled and poked her head between the two boys. Naruto nearly fell out of his seat.

"Don't do that, Akira!"

"Couldn't help myself," she chuckled. "Can I join you?"

"Yeah, sure go ahead."

Akira took a seat beside Naruto and ordered her usual bowl of ramen. As she slowly began eating, Iruka resumed his conversation with Naruto.

"Naruto, why would you do that to the Hokage faces? I mean, you know who they are, don't you?"

"Course I do!" the boy said. He then slurped the last of his ramen. "Everyone knows. They were the greatest shinobi of their time, right? The best of the best? Undefeated ninja champs? And the Fourth Hokage is the one who saved the village from the Nine-Tailed Fox - he was the most amazing."

"Then why did you-"

"Cause I'm going to be greater than any of them! Me, Naruto, the next Hokage - a ninja legend!"

Iruka awkwardly slurped a noodle that was hanging from his mouth as he stared both quizzically and suprised at Naruto who was pointing his chopsticks at his sensei.

"So that way, everyone will have to stop disrespecting me and look up to me! Believe it!" Naruto paused, then asked a little awkwardly. "Uh, by the way, I have a favour to ask, sensei."

"You want another bowl?" Iruka asked, making Akira chuckle.

"That wouldn't surprise me," she said.

"Mmmm... no," Naruto contemplated. "I... wanna try on your headband! Come on, please!"

Iruka reached for his forehead protector. It gleamed in the low light, the engraving of the Konoha leaf constrasting with the shine of the metal it was etched on. Iruka laughed.

"What this? No way! You can only wear the Leaf headband when you finally graduate from the Academy and become a ninja. You've got to pass the test tomorrow!"

"I'm going to pass," Akira said, suddenly determined. Everything from the way she was sitting up straight to the tone in her voice showed it. "I'm going to pass, and I'm going to become the greatest I can become... No matter what!"


	2. Mizuki's Secret

Akira stared at the dusty box that took up most of the space of her dresser. It was mahogany and intricately carved, and used to be her mother's jewelry box. While Sasuke kept nothing from the home they used to live in, Akira was a lot more sentimental. She needed to grieve the deaths of her family members. Most of her old belongings she had kept, but the one she prized the most came from her father and she kept it in her mother's jewelry box. Today however, was the day she took it out.

Just like every morning, Kai met up with Akira at the main avenue while she was peacefully waiting for him, her eyes glued to the cherry blossoms, jasmine and lavender. It was the morning of the exam and Akira should be more nervous, but she wasn't. She knew all her Jutsu, even more than the test probably required, and the small written exam beforehand, she thought, shouldn't be too much of a problem. Akira was more concerned with Naruto, who skipped most of his classes and couldn't even perform a simple Transformation Jutsu. The blue-eyed girl sighed, a gust of wind blowing her hair dark to the side, sakura petals blowing all around them.

"You look like something out of a movie sometimes, Akira," Kai suddenly said.

"Hm - what?"

"Wind in your hair, cherry blossom petals? It looks like you're the protagonist of a shoujo manga."

"I even have my slightly homosexual sidekick," Akira laughed.

"I'm not a homosexual sidekick!"

Everyone was waiting impatiently outside the testing classroom. In a few minutes, the doors would open and they'd all be able to take the written test and when that was done, they'd have to perform a specific Jutsu to earn a Leaf headband. Kai and Akira walked up to Kiba and Shikamaru who were already there.

"You nervous?" Akira asked.

"Nervous? Me? Who do you think I am Kira?" Kiba laughed. He then stopped and stared at her.

"What?"

Kiba reached over and pulled out a blush pink petal from Akira's onyx hair. Kai said something about a shoujo manga again and she looked at him confused, then back at Kiba.

"Petal in your hair," he said simply.

"Oh, I didn't even notice."

"Doesn't really matter, it looked cute in your hair," Kai said.

"S-shut up, Kai!" Akira stuttered, a pale pink on her cheeks. Direct compliments did that to her.

"Look at that, she isn't calm as a cucumber, anymore," Shikamaru teased.

"Why am I friends with you, again?"

Just then, the door to the classroom opened and Iruka-sensei's face popped out. He smiled brightly at everyone and ushered them inside. Today, the students were seated two per desk as to leave an empty space between exam takers. Iruka explained the rules and described the relatively simple twenty question test. It was not only going to test them on ninja basics, but also a few useful things that they'd learned from the core content.

Iruka-sensei gave the all clear and a collective scribbling sound immediately resonated throughout the classroom, the high ceiling amplifying it. Akira sat cross-legged on her seat and leaned over her paper, answering the questions as fast and as best as she could answer them. Soon, Akira and her brother stood up and brought their papers to the front at the same time. Sasuke looked a little annoyed when someone got up with him, probably thinking it was one of his fangirls, but his expression softened when he saw Akira beside him at the front desk. She smiled at him.

Iruka-sensei took their papers and he let them exit the classroom quietly. Akira sat down on one of the benches in the hallway, intending to wait for all her friends to finish, but Sasuke kept walking.

"Hey, Sasuke!"

He stopped and turned.

"You're not leaving are you? Can't you wait for the others to finish too?" Akira asked.

"They're your friends, not mine," he said.

"Kai's been there since the beginning, he might as well be."

Sasuke sighed and walked back to his sister. He lazily poked her on the forehead and sat down beside her. Akira smiled. That was something Itachi used to do to her and Sasuke when they were little.

"I'll wait for Kai, that's all."

"Good." Akira looked into the classroom. Everyone was bent over their exams, some of them even looking strained. "You think you're gonna ace it?"

"I have to," Sasuke said. "There's no point in taking it if I don't."

"Right," his sister sighed.

"You?"

"I don't doubt that I aced it. I just hope that everyone else does. I don't want to be separated."

"I don't understand why you worry for others so much," Sasuke admitted.

"You only care about what concerns you. Itachi is well... Itachi." Akira sighed. "One member of this clan has to be reasonable. Like we used to be."

There was a moment of silence.

"Did you bring it with you today?"

"Yeah, I did," Akira answered.

"Heh," Sasuke chuckled, "you really do intend to graduate today."

"So do I!"

Kai suddenly came out of the classroom, quite cheerful, grinning from ear, swaying on the heel of his feet.

"How well do you think you did on a scale of one to ten?" Akira asked.

"At least an eight," he said. "My guess is both of you are gonna get ten outta ten for this, as well as the practical exam."

"Hey, where're you going, Sasuke?" Akira said as Sasuke got up and began to leave.

"I said I'd stay until Kai arrived. He's arrived."

Sasuke waved lazily at Akira, his back turned, and left somewhere to wait for the practical exam to start. Akira sighed.

"At least he kept you company until I got here," Kai reasoned, taking a seat beside Akira.

"I guess. I just wished he wasn't so distant with me; I'm the only family he's got left. It's a shame too, I mean, we used to work so well together. We probably still would if we trained together at all, anymore."

"Don't worry, you'll get your brother back eventually."

"I hope so, Kai... I hope so."

* * *

Akira stood in front of a table full of Leaf shinobi headbands that gleamed in the sunlight pouring from the large classroom windows. Sitting behind that table was Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei, both chūnin and, for today, examiners of the practical exam and the two people who would tell her if starting today she was a ninja.

"The final test is on the Clone Jutsu," Iruka-sensei said.

"When you're ready, please produce at least three copies of yourself," Mizuki-sensei said.

Akira nodded and took a deep breath and glanced out at the sun, then back at the sensei. She placed her hands in the correct seal and concentrated. In a puff of smoke three other clones appeared by Akira's side, all of them looking healthy and completely functional.

"Amazing," Mizuki-sensei said proudly. "Best clones we've seen all day, aren't they Iruka?"

"Indeed they are. I'd expect nothing less from an Uchiha - no doubt her brother will be just as good," Iruka-sensei said with a smile.

Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei spent a few minutes talking in a hushed voice and looking over some paperwork, no doubt her school grades and her final written exam. After a while, they both looked up with a smile.

"Muzuki and I have decided that, without a doubt, you are to graduate. Congratulations, Akira Mao Uchiha, you're a ninja!"

Akira bowed deeply in thanks and rose, grinning from ear to ear.

"You can come up and grab a headband."

"Actually, sensei, I was wondering if it would be okay to wear this one, instead."

Out of the pocket of her grey cargo pants, she pulled out a Leaf shinobi headband. It was a little scratched and worn; it definitely had a previous owner. Iruka and Mizuki looked at her, surprised.

"This belongs to Fugaku Uchiha, my father. And as I intend to continue his legacy, and protect Konoha with everything I have, I wish to honour him by wearing the headband that was given to him, as my own."

Mizuki and Iruka smiled softly.

"That is quite admirable of you, Akira," Mizuki said. "I don't see a problem with it; it does represent the Leaf shinobi, after all."

"Akira," Iruka said.

"Yes, sensei?"

"Wear it proudly."

"Thank you, Iruka-sensei," Akira said, bowing briefly, "I will."

Akira unraveled the fabric of the headband and wrapped it around her waist along with all the other pieces of fabric she used as a belt, just as her father did. The metal plate featuring the Leaf was visible, centered in the opening of the teal happi1 she wore over her black shirt. Akira bowed one last time to both her sensei and exited the examination room. Everyone looked up at her in anticipation. One hand on her hip and the other forming a peace sign, Akira stood proudly in front of her classmates.

"Starting today, I'm a ninja!"

"Yes! I knew you could do it Akira!" Kai shouted happily, trapping her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Ah! Kai! Gotta breathe!"

"Oops, sorry."

"Brother, you're up next," Akira said, and Sasuke stood from his seat and entered the examination room.

"Oh, I hope he passes," Sakura said in her usual annoying voice.

"Of course he'll pass, forehead!" Ino retorted. "How dare you doubt Sasuke!?"

"Forehead!? Who're you calling forehead!?"

"Ugh, these girls give me a headache," Akira complained, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Tell me about it; they're such a pain," Shikamaru said, arms crossed. He'd tied the headband he'd earned for graduating on his left arm.

"Eh, it makes things interesting," Kiba said, headband shining on his forehead. He and Kai had decided to wear them the normal way. "Anyway, I think this graduation calls for a celebration! Ramen is in my heart!"

"You guys go on to Ichiraku's, I'll wait for Naruto; he'll definitely want to join us."

"Okay, see you in a bit!"

Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru left the school for some well-deserved celebration ramen, and Akira weaved her way through the sea of students and plopped down beside Naruto. His blue eyes widened at the sight of her.

"Hey, Akira! Nice belt," he said.

"Thanks, Naruto," Akira smiled. "How're you feeling?"

"Nervous. Is the final test really a Transformation Jutsu?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Just my luck; it's my worst Jutsu!"

"Don't worry Naruto. You know, even if you don't pass, it isn't so bad," Akira said. Naruto looked up at her. She was staring off into the distance, in her own thoughts. "It isn't so bad because becoming a ninja today or next year, or even the year after that won't change anything. Becoming Hokage isn't all about being a ninja, it's also about you. Who you are as a person, how you treat others, how much you love the village and how much you're willing to protect it. A Hokage doesn't just need to be a strong ninja, he needs to be wise, confident, passionate, loyal, open-minded, accepting, generous..." Akira looked at Naruto. Her near-navy blue eyes were sparkling. "So, even if you don't pass today, and you need to take another year in the Academy, don't sweat it, okay? It'll just give you more time to further develop all the qualities of a Hokage that you already possess."

Akira smiled a closed-eye smile at Naruto. He stared at her blankly, blinking rapidly in wonder. Sometimes she did that - make people speechless. Much like Sasuke, lots of boys thought Akira was beautiful. Though, unlike her brother, Akira didn't notice if there was someone fawning over her. Direct compliments flustered her, but nothing else. Other times, like this time, she would say things that made people speechless. She talked like an Uchiha: formally, directly, inspired.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto snapped out of it and stood up. He looked back at Akira.

"You know, talking like that, you sound like a Hokage." Naruto grinned. "I'll do my best! Believe it!"

* * *

Naruto and Akira never went to join Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru at Ichiraku Ramen. Instead, they went to the roof of a building overlooking the city. Naruto hadn't graduated and he was more than saddened. Mizuki-sensei wanted to give him a pass because of his determination, but Iruka-sensei didn't agree so he didn't pass Naruto. Mizuki-sensei joined the two friends on the ledge and they all looked at the sunset together in silence, until Mizuki spoke.

"Iruka-sensei is tough. He's not against you, Naruto," he said.

"Then why? Why only me?" Naruto said, glancing at Akira's Leaf belt.

"He wants you to be strong. With all his heart. But that will never happen if he goes easy on you. He's like you, you know. No parents. No family."

Akira looked up at Mizuki. She didn't know this about Iruka-sensei.

"But this time... I really wanted to graduate," Naruto said glumly.

"Then I guess I'll have to tell you," Mizuki chuckled quietly.

"Huh?"

"It's a secret. But I'm gonna have to let you in on it..."

* * *

1: A happi (法被, 半被) is a traditional Japanese straight-sleeved coat usually made of indigo or brown cotton and imprinted with a distinctive mon (crest). Originally these represented the crest of a family, as happi were worn by house servants.


	3. Mizuki's Betrayal

The hills that lay friendly in the day - like the pillows of the land - were darkly ominous by night. The paths that were illuminated just hours before became lost in a blackness that even moonlight couldn't help. The trees that were magnificent in sunshine towered over Akira and Naruto as they sat in the middle of a glade. The air was several degrees cooler and Akira shivered unconsciously. She often listened for signs of life around them, but the only thing she was hearing was the mumbling of Naruto and the rustling of the Sacred Scroll he had stolen.

"Naruto, we need to bring that back! Everyone is going to call the Chūnin and the Jōnin to come looking for us!" Akira said in a loud whisper. "That's the Sacred Scroll! It contains all the forbidden jutsu that the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, outlawed. I'm sure that even the Third and Fourth Hokage have added onto it over the years! It contains secrets that if, in the wrong hands, could bring about the destruction of Konoha!"

Naruto unrolled the first section of the scroll and began reading. Akira groaned and walked over to him, looking at the first forbidden jutsu, curious despite her better judgement.

"The Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Akira gasped. "That ninjutsu was invented by the Second Hokage himself!"

"Ah! Not again! That's my worst jutsu!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but... you should try and learn it."

"What!?"

"I can even help you! The hand sign isn't that hard, we can learn it together! Maybe while trying to learn this one, you'll figure out how to do a regular clone."

"Akira, you're a genius!" Naruto said happily.

"Problem is, it probably consumes a lot of chakra... Are you ready for it?" Akira asked.

"I'm ready! Believe it!"

Naruto and Akira practiced for what seemed and probably was hours. They trained hard and Akira tried to coach Naruto even though she was trying to learn the same thing as he was. They were dirty and exhausted, both sitting down and panting. You could tell how hard they'd been working. Suddenly, Akira picked up a slight rustling in the leaves and she stood, taking a defensive stance. But it was only a very angry Iruka-sensei.

"It's over!" he said with a small, strained laugh.

Naruto scratched his head awkwardly and laughed back. Akira snickered and soon joined in. Now she knew what Kai saw in misbehaving with Naruto. It was kind of... fun. Iruka-sensei was completely confused.

"Got us already? Not bad, you're quick sensei! Akira only had time to teach me and herself one jutsu."

"It really wasn't easy, but we got it done!" Akira laughed.

"Listen, Iruka Sensei! I'm going to show you this amazing Jutsu and you're going to let me graduate and everything will be okay. That's the way it works, right? Anyone who learns Jutsu from this scroll passes."

"Yeah... About that..." Akira said, unsure.

"Huh? Where'd you get that idea?" Iruka-sensei said.

"Mizuki Sensei told me about it. Believe it!" Naruto said happily. He turned to show the scroll on his back. "He told me where to find the scroll... And this place..."

Naruto stopped noticing Iruka's shocked face. Something wasn't right.

"Sensei... Did Mizuki-sensei tell you that Naruto and I stole the scroll?"

"He did..."

Suddenly, both Iruka and Akira sensed an attack coming. Iruka looked over his shoulder and spotted incoming kunai. He dashed towards Naruto and pushed him out of the way and took the attack, which pushed him into the wall of nearby hut. Some kunai were in the walls, some were pinning Iruka's clothing, but one was planted directly in his leg.

"I see you've found our little hideaway," Mizuki said maliciously.

"So that's the way it is, huh?" Iruka said.

"I should have known," Akira whispered. "What kind of Uchiha am I?"

"Naruto!" Mizuki called violently. "Give me the scroll, now?"

"Wait a minute..." Naruto whispered, looking between the three other ninja. "What's going on here?"

"Naruto! Don't let Mizuki get the scroll!" Iruka said.

"It's like I told you, Naruto!" Akira said, assuming a defensive stance again. "The scroll contains forbidden jutsu that could put the village in grave danger. Mizuki used us... he wants the scroll. For his own power."

Naruto stood up and looked at Mizuki angrily.

"Naruto," Mizuki said a little more gentle. "Don't let them trick you, Naruto. Iruka's just trying to scare you because he doesn't want you to have the scroll."

"No one should have the scroll!" Akira yelled. "It's the Sacred Scroll - it is protected by the Hokage, for the Hokage only! Stop lying to us!"

"Oh, I'll tell you who's really lying!" Mizuki laughed.

"No, Mizuki!" Iruka-sensei yelled.

Now both Naruto and Akira were confused. Iruka was lying? About what?

"They've been lying to you your whole lives! Since the decree 12 years ago."

"What decree?" Naruto asked.

"Everyone who was alive 12 years ago knows. Iruka's trying to hide it from you right now. He'd do anything to shut me up," Mizuki taunted. Naruto looked up at him, wide-eyed.

"What is this decree? Why does everyone know about it?"

"Don't tell him, Mizuki, it's forbidden!" Iruka-sensei yelled.

"The decree is, that no one can tell you that the Nine-Tailed Fox that almost destroyed the village is inside you." Both Naruto and Akira stared at Mizuki in complete shock, maybe even fear. "The Fox spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village has taken over your body. You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!"

"Stop it!" Iruka yelled.

"They've all been sneaking around, hiding things from you your whole life!" Mizuki said. "Didn't you think it was strange how they all treated you? Like dirt. Like they hated you for just being alive. And Akira might not have hated you, but now that she knows? Look at her. Look at the fear in her eyes. She's just like everyone else. She'll hate you just for being you."

"No!" Naruto shouted, tears in his eyes. Hi hands balled into fists and suddenly a large gust of wind began surrounding him. "No, no, no, no!"

"Naruto..." Iruka said sadly, looking at him.

"That's why you'll never be accepted in this village. Even your beloved sensei hates your guts!"

Suddenly, Mizuki removed a giant shuriken from his back and began spinning it. Akira solidified her stance and reached into the navy blue pouch attached to her right leg. She felt the cold hard metal of her kunai against her fingers. Suddenly, Mizuki let out a loud yell and threw the shuriken at Naruto. Immediately, Akira dashed forward and threw three of her kunai at Mizuki. He narrowly doged them. And during that moment, Iruka-sensei had put himself between Naruto and the shuriken. It was sticking out from his back, blood dripping from the wound. Mizuki and Akira looked at him shocked.

"Iruka-sensei!" she yelled, voice strained.

"W-Why?" Naruto whimpered.

"Because we're the same," Iruka said, choking a little. "When I was a kid, no one seemed to care. They didn't have time for me. They just forgot I was there. My grades dropped. I became the class clown. I just wanted them to see me... And know my name. My school wasn't good enough to get the attention, so I did crazy things. And then I had to pay for it. It was hard." Tears began falling from Iruka's eyes. "I know that's how you feel, Naruto. You feel lonely and it hurts inside. And I could've been there for you more. I let you down. I'm sorry. No one should have to suffer that much. No one should be alone like that."

"Don't make me laugh!" Mizuki chuckled darkly. "Iruka always hated you. He was orphaned because the Nine-Tailed Fox killed his parents. And that beast is now inside you. He'd say anything to get the scroll from you."

Suddenly, Naruto got up and ran as fast as he could. As fast as she could, Akira dashed after her friend. Naruto couldn't possibly believe that Iruka hated him. He couldn't believe that Akira hated him. After all, both of them had always been nice to them. Yes, Akira was terrified of the Nine-Tailed Fox, but Naruto never showed any inclination that he was volatile or dangerous to Konoha. Maybe the monster was inside him, but Naruto himself wasn't the monster.

Akira found Naruto hiding behind a tree, clutching the scroll. She landed skillfully in front of him and crouched down. Naruto didn't move.

"Naruto?"

"Go away..."

"You know that Iruka-sensei and I don't hate you, right?"

"But Mizuki-"

"Mizuki is an idiot. I don't know why I didn't see it... Maybe I was just too busy wanting to goof off for once."

Naruto looked up at her, bright blue eyes glazed over.

"You and Kai goof off all the time, and yeah, most of the time I think you're idiots, but sometimes I want to know what it's like to fool around. So when Mizuki mentioned the scroll... I was curious. Not only because I'm curious about jutsu, but because I wanted to have fun. I haven't had real fun in such a long time. Sasuke and... and Itachi... they're so far gone. My family... I don't have one anymore either."

"But you look so happy all the time," Naruto said.

"So do you, Naruto..."

Naruto looked at her surprised. Then he suddenly looked determined. Just then, him and Akira heard Mizuki and Iruka nearby.

"You're a fool!" Mizuki said. "Why are you protecting that freak? He's the one who wiped out your family."

"I don't care what you say, 'cause you're not getting your hands on that scroll," Iruka said.

"As if you could stop me. Don't you get it? Naruto is just like me."

"How's that?"

"He wants the scroll for his own power, and his own vengeance," Mizuki said. "That's how beasts are. He'll pour all his rage into the scroll and destroy everything."

"You're right," Iruka said. "That is how beasts are. But that's not how Naruto is. He's nothing like that. Naruto's one of a kind. He works hard, puts his whole heart into it. Sure he messes up sometimes, and everyone jumps on him... But his suffering only makes him stronger. That's was separates him from being a beast. So you're wrong. He's nothing like the Nine-Tailed Fox. He's Naruto Uzumaki, of the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

Akira heard the clink of the other shuriken on Mizuki's back.

"You really believe that dribble? Iruka, I was going to save you for later but I changed my mind... You're finished!"

Naruto and Akira shared a look and they suddenly jumped up from their hiding place. Akira threw a kunai at the flying shuriken and stopped it midair and Naruto headbutted Mizuki in the stomach, sending him flying backwards.

"Naruto... Akira..."

Mizuki stood up.

"Not bad, for little punks."

"If you ever lay a hand on my sensei... I'll kill you!" Naruto growled.

"Such big words," Mizuki said. I can completely destroy you with one move!"

Naruto and Akira simultaneously positioned their fingers a different formation than Iruka had seen.

"Take your best shot, fool. We'll give it back to you a thousandfold!" Akira shouted.

"Let's see you try! Show me what you can do, pests!" Mizuki spat.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" both children chorused.

From an immense cloud of smoke appeared thousands of copies of Naruto and Akira. They were surrounding Mizuki on the ground, in the trees. Iruka's and Mizuki's eyes widened. They weren't simple illusion clones, they were solid clones. The forbidden Shadow Clone Jutsu was mastered.

Mizuki looked around scared an overwhelmed. All of the clones were calling out to him, taunting him. He stumbled and moved back, but there were clones behind him as well.

"If you're not comin'," a Naruto clone said.

"Then we're gonna come after you," an Akira clone finished.

Mizuki screamed as all the clones jumped over him, beating him to a pulp. After a few minutes, Mizuki lay unconscious on the ground, blood pouring from his nose. Both Akira and Naruto were chuckling, a little embarrassed.

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei!" Akira said.

"Yeah, got carried away," Naruto added. "You okay, Iruka-sensei?"

"Yeah..." Iruka breathed. "Naruto. Come here a minute. I've got something I want to give you. Close your eyes."

The sun was beginning to rise and the forest began to look more and more beautiful as the sun woke up. The trees were vibrant and the fragrance of pine wafted through the air, reaching Akira's nose. She looked at Iruka-sensei and smiled. He was removing Naruto's goggles and replacing it with his own Leaf bandanna. Naruto had someone to look after him. A wave of sadness hit Akira; she didn't have anyone like Iruka to look after her.

"Sensei? How much longer?"

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

Naruto opened his eyes and saw Iruka and Akira, nothing unusual. But Iruka was holding his goggles. Naruto's hand flew up to his head.

"Congratulations. You graduate," Iruka said. "And to celebrate, all three of us are going out for ramen tonight!"

Naruto stood there, quiet and shocked, until he smiled brightly and tackled Iruka in a giant bear hug, knocking him to the ground. Akira laughed and happily stared at them while they teased over and over. But there was still that lingering thought... Why didn't she have someone like Iruka-sensei?


	4. Uh

Soon after the vibrant summer rays had begun to warm the day there was a shrill sound, a whistle, and Akira woke up. Sasuke was already awake and, as usual, had leaped out of bed faster than a rat from a trap to make breakfast. The smell of miso quickly reached her room and Akira listened to the swift chopping sounds as she got dressed; she slipped on charcoal grey leggings, then her paler cargo shorts. She put on a sleeveless shirt the same colour as her leggings and wrapped a long crimson and navy blue scarf around her waist. Akira tied a length of thick bandages just above her right knee and clasped her kunai pouch over it. She tied her Leaf bandanna around her waist, over the scarves, and walked out of her room putting on her black stud earrings.

Sasuke and Akira's small apartment smelled of miso and mochi cakes, both of them slowly combining on the hot stove. Sasuke acknowledged her with a glance and she gave him a quiet 'good morning' before grabbing their small clay teapot and steeping jasmine flowers and leaves for tea. Small bowls and cups were set on their little bamboo table and Sasuke served the soup while Akira poured the tea. Brother and sister ate in silence, the occasional slurp or sip the only sounds present. When they were done, they washed their own dishes and set them to dry on a towel then left home together. Then, like every morning, Akira stopped in the main avenue to wait for Kai and Sasuke walked on.

* * *

Today was picture day. It wasn't you run-of-the-mill high school picture day however, it was the day that all the new ninja took their pictures to put on their identification. In the Academy, waiting in line, most of the girls were passing around portable mirrors, the guys were messing up each other's hair or, in Naruto's case, were busy painting their faces because no, a serious picture couldn't be serious.

"Naruto, this is your identification picture, not a class picture," Akira groaned, watching Naruto paint himself red and white. "It really isn't the time to goof off - Kai don't even think of dropping your finger in that paint!"

Kai slowly backed away the finger that was inching towards the red paint and smiled sheepishly. He had already taken his picture, but hung back until Akira had had hers taken. Shikamaru and Kiba had theirs taken earlier in the day and left for the orientation that followed. Eventually, the youngest Uchiha got her photo taken. She thought she looked fine, only showing a small half smile. Sakura however wore a big toothy smile and, quite frankly, looked ridiculous. Somehow she was proud of it.

Kai, Naruto and Akira, their pictures taken, went down to the designated classroom for the orientation. Akira and Kai sat down together with Kiba, and Naruto sat in front of them at the same table as Sasuke. Shikamaru was at the back. Nearly everyone their was visibly confused, since Naruto didn't technically or officially graduate with the others. Up until now, they all thought Naruto was going back to the Academy.

"What're you doing here, Naruto?" Shikamaru said, walking down to him. "This isn't for drop outs. You can't be here unless you graduated."

"Oh, yeah? Do you see this, do see this?" Naruto said, pointing at his headband with his thumb. "Open up your eyes Shikamaru, it's a regulation headband. We're gonna be training together, how do you like that?"

Shikamaru sighed.

"Let me put it this way: I look great in this head gear, it's like it was made for me! Believe it!"

Akira laughed and looked around. Most of the students she knew, but there were still a few missing. Her stopped on someone and she frowned. Hinata Hyuga was the definition of shy. Her pale lavender eyes were nearly always cast down and if her hair had been longer she'd probably use it to hide her face. But she couldn't, and Akira noticed what - or who - she was looking at, a faint blush on her cheeks: Naruto.

"Hyuga has a thing for Naruto..." Akira whispered to herself.

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious," Kiba said. "Though, admittedly not as bad at Sakura and the rest of the Sasuke fan-club."

"Speaking of which..."

At that exact moment, Ino and Sakura came barging into the classroom, panting and arguing.

"I'm first!" they said together.

"I won again, Sakura," Ino said.

"Give it up! I had to look back to see you, my foot was at least a tenth of an inch ahead!" Sakura argued.

"Have you always been this delusional?"

And, of course, when Sakura walked into the room, Naruto's face got as pink as Hinata's and he couldn't help but stare. It got worse when she looked over and he thought she was looking at him, when Sakura was in fact looking at Sasuke behind him. She jogged over and Naruto stood up to say hi, but she pushed him to the ground so that she could talk to Akira's brother. The female Uchiha's jaw clenched. Not only was her obsession with Sasuke beyond irritating, but she pushed Naruto down too? This girl was insane!

"Uh, good morning, Sasuke..." she said shyly.

Sasuke glanced at her but said nothing.

"Mind if I sit next to you?"

"Back off, Forehead! I'm sitting next to Sasuke!" Ino barged in.

"I was here first!" Sakura said under her breath.

"I walked into the classroom before you did, everyone knows that!"

"Dream on!"

"Actually, I got here before either of you!" a random girl said, walking up to the two girls.

And soon, there was a whole crowd of them fighting over the spot next to Sasuke, who rolled his eyes and looked back to the front. Naruto suddenly got angry and launched himself towards Sasuke, standing up on the desk and crouching down so that his face was level with the Uchiha's. All the girls gasped. Akira sighed and dropped her head on her desk.

"Ugh, why does it have to be my brother..."

"It's not just your brother," Kai said. Akira looked up at him, confused. "It's you too."

"What're you talking about?"

"Look around, Kira," Kiba said, leaning back in his chair. "Unless all these dudes are looking at my striking black eyes or Kai's snow hair, they're looking at you."

Akira frowned and looked around. Surely enough, most of the boys in the classroom were looking in her direction.

"Great," she said deadpan. "There's enough googley-eyes towards Sasuke, no one needs more."

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled. "Stop glaring at Sasuke!"

Naruto glanced from Sakura and the horde of girls, then back at Sasuke, mot likely wondering what they all saw in him. To be honest, Akira thought the same. Sure, her brother was cute, but he was cold and distant and definitely not boyfriend material. All these girls were delusional. And they all began shouting at the two boys, some saying that Sasuke should beat Naruto up for even looking at him. And then, out of nowhere and in a split second, everything was quiet. Someone had bumped into Naruto and sent him forward, resulting in an involuntary kiss...

"What the..."

"I don't know..."

"Uh..."

As soon as it sunk in, Sasuke and Naruto pulled apart and began gagging and spitting and coughing. Trying as best as possible to remove whatever contact they'd had. Akira's eyes were wide as saucers, blankly staring at the two boys. Not even Kiba's waving hand in front of her face could snap her out of it. And then Sakura began screaming.

"Curse you, Naruto!" Sasuke growled.

"My mouth is rotting!" Naruto yelled.

All the girls were sending death glares in Naruto's direction and it took another shout from Sakura for Akira to snap out of her shock. She blinked rapidly a few times and shook her head. Just then, Iruka-sensei entered the classroom and everything went back to normal, Sakura ending up in the seat between Naruto and Sasuke.

"As of today, you are all ninjas," Iruka said. "You have all faced difficult trials and hardships, but that's nothing. What comes next will be far more difficult. Now, you are only Genin, first-level ninjas. All the Genin will be grouped into three-man squads and, since we're an uneven number, there will be two teams of four Guenin. Each squad will be lead by a Jōnin, an elite ninja."

Akira wondered who she would be put with and how they had decided the squads. Did they go at random? Did they make balanced teams? Or maybe they would be allowed to chose? Akira hoped that her new sensei would be at least a little nice, like Iruka-sensei. But elite ninja have gone through much more than him, so she doubted that the new sensei would be as cute and cuddle as Iruka.

Akira hoped that she'd get placed with Kiba, Shikamaru and Kai, but that was only a dream. She doubted that they'd make a balanced team even though they'd most likely work well together. If they were going for balanced teams, them Sasuke and Naruto were bound to be together - the best and the worst. She then wondered who would be placed with them? Who was their 'in between'?

"We want each squad to have a balance of strengths and abilities, so that's how we set them up," Iruka continued.

Akira sighed.

"What's up?" Kiba asked.

"We're not going to be in the same squad," Akira said. "We might work together, but we wouldn't be balanced."

"That sucks," Kai said sadly.

"Yeah..."

"I will now announced the squads!"

Akira tuned everything out until she heard her name.

"Squad seven: Akira Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha."

Sakura cheered when she heard Sasuke's name, but Naruto groaned, which made Akira laugh a little. Her team wasn't that bad. Naruto had the worst grades so it was normal that he was matched with Sasuke, the best. Sakura was an aspiring Kunoichi, a medial ninja, and she was better at written tests than anything else... but where did Akira fit in? She was probably a buffer for all of these strong personalities. Akira could live with that.

"Squad eight: Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame and Kai Manzo. And lastly, squad nine: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi."

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto protested. "Why does a great ninja like me have to be with a slug like Sasuke!?"

"Sasuke and Akira had the best scores of all the graduating students. Naruto, you had the worst scores in the history of Genin. To create a balanced group, we put the two best, which compensates for your worst."

"Just make sure you don't get in my way, loser," Sasuke said in a low voice.

"Hey, what did you say!?" Naruto shouted.

"Hard of hearing?"

"Knock it off, both of you!" Akira said sternly. "Sit down, Naruto."

Both of them listened to her and Naruto sat down. Iruka-sensei sighed and continued.

"After lunch, you'll meet your new Jōnin teachers. Until then, class dismissed."

Everyone exited the classroom talking loudly with their new team. Akira walked with Hinata, Kiba, Shino and Kai out of the Academy, they talked for a few minutes until the Akira's team found her.

"Hey, you guys go have lunch together and figure each other out, all right?" Akira said. "Oh, and please, tell me about your new sensei!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kiba chuckled.

As they left, Sakura came out of the school, calling for none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

"Wrong Uchiha," Akira said, turning around to face her.

"Ugh, you. Why did Sasuke go running off so fast?" Sakura said.

"That's what he does. It is Sasuke, after all... Hey, Sakura?"

"Hm?"

"I know you don't like me, and you know I don't like you but - I mean, we're on the same team, we might as well try and get along. You wanna have lunch together?"

"You, me, lunch?" Sakura said, a little surprised. "Um, sure."

Akira sent Sakura an awkward smile and stuffed her hands in her pockets, walking off.

"Hey, wait up!"

"Well, hurry up! I don't have all day!"

"Ugh, you are so full of yourself!"

"Look who's talking!"


	5. Kakashi Hatake

"He's late!" Naruto said, bringing Akira out of whatever daydream she was having.

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and herself were waiting in an empty classroom for their new sensei. He was late, but Akira didn't let it bother her - he'd get here, when he'd get here. He probably had a good reason to be late anyway. Meanwhile, Akira sat cross-legged on a desk and hummed a tune, swaying to the beat. This alone could probably entertain her for hours.

"Naruto, just sit down!" Sakura demanded, looking over at the yellow-haired boy.

"I don't want to. How come our teacher is the only one that's late!? I'm ready to roll," he replied in an annoyed tone of voice. "The other groups are already met their new teachers and took off on some adventure or something - I mean, even Iruka-sensei left!"

"That reminds me I have to ask Kai and Kiba about their sensei - hope he's a good one," Akira said quietly, then resumed her humming.

"We know, okay, Naruto?" Sakura sighed.

Akira looked up when she heard someone scuffling around. Turns out it was Naruto who decided to prank the teacher by putting a chalk-filled blackboard eraser in the door frame. When they'd open the door, it would fall on their head.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Sakura asked, irritated. She noticed the eraser. "Naruto!"

"That's what he gets for being late! Surprise!" Naruto chuckled.

"You're asking for trouble. You know you shouldn't do that."

"Our teacher is a Jōnin," Sasuke commented. "An Elite ninja."

"Yeah, there's no way he'd fall for that!" Sakura added. "You're so clueless Naruto."

Suddenly, a hand clasped the door and everyone turned towards it. Two seconds later it opened and the eraser fell on a man's head. He was crouching down a little to pass under the low door frame - if he didn't, his spiky silver hair probably would get caught on it. One of his dark grey eyes was covered with his Leaf bandanna and a mask was pulled up over his nose, hiding most of his face. Akira wondered what his face looked like. Did he always keep his mask up? Had anyone ever seen his face? Who was this guy? How did Akira not notice a really tall guy with silver hair walking around Konoha? So many questions were running through Akira's mind as Naruto laughed at the man.

"I'm so sorry sensei," Sakura apologized. "I told him not to do it, but he wouldn't listen! I'd never do anything like that!"

"Shut up, Sakura," Akira said with a great sigh.

The man picked up the eraser, looked at it, then looked up at the students sitting in the classroom.

"How can I put this?" he said in a calm voice. "My first impression of this group..."

"Idiots, I'd say," Akira mumbled.

"Hey!" Sakura called.

"I didn't say you, Sakura. Sorry you felt that it concerned you."

"Yup, you're a bunch of idiots," the man said.

"Called it."

"The eraser thing was still funny though," Naruto said softly.

"Look, enough time was wasted," Akira said, "shouldn't we be somewhere?"

"Very true. Follow me."

Akira hopped off the desk and followed the group's new sensei to wherever he was going. Sasuke followed slowly, Sakura close behind and Naruto was at the back, walking like a doofus. The five ninja went up to the roof of the Academy which overlooked most of the city. The silver-haired man went up to the edge and leaned back against the railing, facing the students who sat down on a small step and looked up at him.

"All right, why don't you introduce yourselves... one at a time."

"Introduce ourselves? Well, what're we supposed to say?" Sakura asked.

"Things you like, things you don't, dreams for the future, hobbies," the sensei said almost apathetically. "Things like that."

"Why don't you tell us stuff first? I mean, first tell us about you do that we can see how it's supposed to work," Naruto said.

"Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate... I don't feel like telling you that." Akira narrowed his eyes at him. "Dreams for the future... Never really thought about it. As for hobbies, I have many."

"You realize that you literally just told us your name, right?" Akira said, sounding a little skeptic.

"Yes. Yes, I do."

Akira frowned. That was useless. They'd learned nothing about him. How were they supposed to work together if they knew nothing about each other?

"Okay, your turn. You on the right," he said.

"Believe it - I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I like instant ramen, but I like the ramen from Ichiraku's the best. I hate the three minutes you have to wait after pouring water in the ramen cup. My hobby is eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them... And my future dream is to be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody important."

Akira quirked an eyebrow at Naruto. She knew he was a little... weird, but who loves ramen that much? Even Kakashi-sensei looked perplexed.

"All right, then," he said. "Next."

"I'm Sakura Haruno! What I like, uh... I mean, the person I like is..." Sakura glanced over at Sasuke, blush covering her cheeks. Akira sighed and rolled her eyes. "Um, my hobby is, uh..." she giggled. "My future dreams is..." she squealed.

"And? What do you hate?"

"Naruto!"

Akira fought the urge to slam her palm onto her forehead. How could she like someone so much and hate another for no good reason? Sometimes the female mind confused this female mind. Why was Sakura so much more interested in boys than the Ninja Arts?

"Next."

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I have a lot of dislikes and don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan and destroy... a certain someone."

"Drama queen," Akira huffed. "Can I go next now, or are we all going to stare at my brother in an awkward and tense silence?"

"Uh, right, yes, last one."

"My name is Akira Uchiha. Sounds stupid, but I like learning... reading. One of my favourite things though are my friends. Um... I don't particularly dislike anything except for seafood. As a hobby I sing a little - hum mostly 'cause I hate the sound of my voice. And dream for the future? That's an easy one," Akira said with a smile. "I want to become the best ninja I can be and follow in my father's footsteps. One day, I want to be the head of Konoha Military Police and protect my city with all I've got!"

"Realistic and not weird," Kakashi-sensei said. "Good." Akira smiled. "You're all unique and have your own ideas. We'll have our first mission tomorrow."

"Oh! What kind of mission are we going to have?" Naruto asked.

"It's a task that the five of us will do together."

"What - what - what - what?"

"A survival exercise," Kakashi-sensei said.

Akira perked up at the mention of a survival exercise. Mind you, she would have perked up at the mention of any kind of exercise relating to the Ninja Arts.

"I thought we were supposed to have a real mission, not more practice!" Sakura complained. "We already did this stuff at the Academy, that's how we got here."

"How about you wait for an explanation, Sakura," Akira sighed. "I'm sure it's not a regular survival exercise like we had in the Academy."

"Akira is right. This is not like your previous training," Kakashi-sensei said.

Akira looked at Sakura, smug.

"So uh - so uh, what kind of training is it then?" Naruto asked.

To everyone's surprise, Kakashi laughed, almost maliciously.

"What's so funny, sensei?" Akira asked.

"Well, if I tell you the answer, you're not going to like it," he said.

"Huh? What's he talking about?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi looked directly at his new students.

"Out of the twenty-nine graduates who came here, only eleven will be accepted as Genin. The other eighteen will be weeded out and sent back to the Academy." Akira's eyes widened. "In other words, it's a make-it-or-break-it pass or fail test, and the chance that you'll fail is at least sixty-six percent."

"That's crazy!" Naruto yelled.

"See? I told you, you wouldn't like it."

"Then what was that graduation test for anyway?" Sakura complained.

"Oh, that. Well, that was just to select those who might become Genin," Kakashi-sensei replied. "Or not."

"Whaaaat!?" Naruto shouted. "The test was useless, then!"

"Well, I wouldn't say that, Naruto," Akira said contemplatively. "I mean, sure the test in itself was stupid and a complete waste of our time, but at least it made us review what we knew - gave us a little more practice and a better chance at becoming Genin. That's if Kakashi-sensei thinks we're worthy or something."

"That's the way it is - I decide whether you pass or fail," Kakashi said. "Be at the designated training ground tomorrow morning at 5am, and bring your ninja gear."

Akira's jaw clenched. There was no way she wasn't going to pass. She'd made it this far and there was no way that all her training was going to be for nothing. She had to pass. She had to become a ninja... to honour her father.

"That's it, you're dismissed. Oh, and tomorrow you better skip breakfast, or else... you'll puke."


	6. Teamwork

The nightmare was always the same. A happy Akira and Sasuke were running around the Uchiha compound together, laughing, training. Then everything turned red. There were bodies everywhere, sprawled across the ground, blood pooling around them. Their parents, laid out in the family room, cold and dead. Then Itachi looming over. That's when Akira woke up in a cold sweat, chest heaving. Her room was dark, but not as dark as the thoughts running through her mind. She turned to her clock.

"Time to get up."

Akira dragged herself out of bed and got dressed slowly, pushing her nightmare to the back of her mind. She made herself a cup of tea and debated whether to eat something before leaving, despite her sensei saying not to. Would she really throw up? She doubted it, but Akira decided not to eat anyway since it was a demand from Kakashi-sensei. She went back to her room and packed all of her ninja gear: she placed at least a dozen of kunai in her thigh pocket, a dozen shuriken in the pouch attached to one of her fabric belts and strapped knife sheaths on her arms, one on her inner forarm and the other on the outside. Akira even attached a strap to her ankle to hold a small knife. Why she had two on her arms no one knew, not even Sasuke.

Akira and her brother set out in silence and headed in the general direction of the designated training ground. The sky was littered with lavender and dark blue tones rather than the pitch black it was, earlier. The birds were still asleep, the silence was peaceful, and the scent of flowers covered in dew reached Akira's nose when passing the main avenue. Akira looked over and sighed. Would every morning be like this now? Maybe she'd never get to walk with Kai to school anymore. Would she even get to see Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru anymore? Who knew...

Sakura and Naruto were arriving at the same time as Sasuke and Akira, but they seemed to be nearly sleepwalking. Everyone was just as tired, but of course, no Uchiha could show any kind of weakness.

"Morning," Sakura said sleepily.

"It's not morning until the sun is up," Akira said lazily. "I'm usually asleep at this hour."

Naruto plopped down where he stood.

"So what do we do?" he asked.

"We wait, I guess," Akira said.

The first orange hued rays of sunrise arrived much later. The soft rays shone down on the late morning as the four students sat, waiting for their sensei. Akira looked around at her teammates then up at the sun, squinting, and stretched up her hand into the sky. 'Under the sun we are all the same,' she thought, and she let the soft amber glow of the sunrise pour through her fingers and onto her upturned face.

"Morning everyone, ready for your first day?"

Everyone turned towards the calm voice and in a split second, Sakura was on her feet, pointing accusingly at Kakashi-sensei. Naruto did the same. Even Sasuke was glaring.

"You're late!" Sakura and Naruto chorused.

"Well, a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long way," Kakashi provided as an answer.

As Naruto growled at him, Akira stood up and brushed the dust off her pants.

"Well," Kakashi cleared his throat. "Let's get started." He went over to a nearby tree stump and placed an alarm clock on it. Akira furrowed her eyebrows. "Here we go. It's set for noon."

Akira looked at the clock. Whatever Kakashi-sensei was planning, they'd have four hours to do it. Then, sensei took out three bells, each on a red ribbon.

"Your assignment is very simple. You just have to take these bells from me. That's all there is to it," Kakashi-sensei said. "If you can't get them by noon, you go without lunch. You'll be tied to those posts and you'll watch as I eat my lunch in front of you."

Akira gave her teacher a scathing look. So that's why he told them not to eat breakfast - to make it harder on them. Now Akira wished she'd had more than just tea for breakfast. Suddenly, she noticed something.

"Sensei," Akira said. "There are only three bells."

"Well that way, there will be at least one of you tied to the posts and ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission," he said, Akira swore he was grinning underneath that mask. "That one... goes back to the Academy. Then again, all four of you could flunk out too. You can use any weapon. If you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."

"Those weapons are too dangerous, sensei!" Sakura said, concerned.

"Especially since you couldn't dodge that eraser," Naruto laughed.

Akira frowned at her teammates. Why were they underestimating him? He was a Jōnin, an elite ninja. He'd deceived them already by failing to introduce himself properly and telling us not to eat breakfast, surely he'd let the eraser fall on him on purpose. to give them the impression he wasn't all that good. But Akira had a feeling that taking a bell from him wasn't going to be an easy task at all. So what was the best way to take them away?

"Class clowns are usually the weakest links, you can safely ignore them," Kakashi said.

A light went off in her mind. There were three bells. He was currently insulting certain members of the team, praising others. 'He's pinning us against each other,' Akira thought. If they'd all work as a team, they could easily overpower one ninja even if he was a Jōnin. She looked at her brother. He seemed to be thinking a lot too. Hopefully, they were thinking of the same thing.

"When I say start, you can begin."

Suddenly, Naruto launched himself at Kakashi-sensei, unsheathing a kunai from it's holster. As he swung at him, Kakashi grabbed his hand and turned Naruto around, pointing his own kunai at the back of his head. Akira barely noticed any movement from Kakashi-sensei and he'd done that. He was fast, and she was right; they'd get nowhere working alone.

"Don't be in such a hurry," the teacher said. "I didn't say start yet. But, you came at me with the intent to destroy me, so... how can I say this? I'm actually starting to like you guys."

Akira chuckled.

"Get ready," sensei said, and Akira looked over to her brother. "And... start!"

Immediately, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke jumped and fled the glade, off to hide somewhere. Figures. That left Akira alone with Kakashi-sensei, looking more annoyed then anything else.

"Great. I turn to my brother to tell him we should all work together, but no! They all hide!" Akira growled and began walking away calmly. "Does anyone use their brains anymore?"

"Akira?"

"Hm?" she hummed and faced Kakashi-sensei.

"Usually, a ninja doesn't reveal their plan in front of the target."

"Yeah, well, you don't know how we'd work together, do you?" The girl sighed. "Well, I'm going to go find Sasuke. Have fun being attacked by Naruto, sensei."

Akira stopped and turned again, and idea forming in her mind.

"Sensei?"

"Yes?"

"Can one bell count for two people if obtained together?"

Akira swore he smirked underneath the mask he was wearing.

"Yes."

"Good."

Akira then leaped into the nearest tree and moved around until she found a good spot to conceal herself. 'I have to find Sasuke,' she thought. Akira put her hands together and formed a hand seal, and a Shadow Clone of herself went off to find Sasuke while she observed the glade from where she was. As predicted, Naruto was already challenging Kakashi-sensei on his own.

"You and me! Right now! Fair and square!" he shouted.

"Idiot," Akira muttered under her breath.

She then produced another Shadow Clone and sent it off to help Naruto. Akira knew that none of them would want to work together: Naruto had to prove himself after Kakash-sensei called him a loser; Sasuke was so used to doing things on his own the thought probably never crossed his mind; and Sakura was, well... dumb. Speaking of Sakura, in case she did come out of her hiding place, another Akira clone was sent to her. The plan was in motion. Technically, a two person team was still a team. If a bell was obtained with one of Akira's clones, she and whoever she'd gotten it with would get a bell and become a Genin. After that, she was free to help everyone else, her placement ensured.

"You know, compared to the others, you're a bit... weird," Kakashi told Naruto.

Akira watched as Naruto attacked Kakashi-sensei, but it was obvious that Kakashi didn't think much of Naruto however, as he began reading mid-combat, stopping Naruto's attacks with one hand. Suddenly, Naruto attacked but sensei ended up behind him. Akira saw his hand-sign. 'He used a time-space jutsu', she thought, impressed. And then, unexpectedly, Kakashi said something ridiculous and decided it was a great idea to play Kancho. Naruto went flying and landed in the lake nearby, letting Kakashi return to his reading. Akira giggled quietly: Kakashi-sensei was proving to be a fun teacher. Just then, two shuriken came flying out of the water towards Kakashi, but he easily stopped them, using great speed and precision to poke his finger through the hole in the middle of the spinning weapons. Akira's left eyebrow quirked up: she was impressed again. He wasn't even looking, either. There was no way that Akira was going to get to him with a long range attack; there would be too much time for him to evade it or plan to stop or counter it.

Naruto crawled out of the water and began arguing with Kakashi-sensei about not eating breakfast and the thought of food made Akira's stomach growl. She was beyond hungry. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise coming from the water. Akira's clone showed up as well as about seven of Naruto's. Everyone knew that Akira could perform the Shadow Clone jutsu, the rumours flying around the second Naruto used it in a prank. At least this meant neither Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura or Sasuke could doubt the person next to them. As long as her clones maintained their cover, she'd be fine.

All the Naruto's attacked as well as Akira, though she let all the Naruto's do most of the work. It was a good thing too since the real Akira, still sitting comfortably in her tree, saw Kakashi use a substitution jutsu, replacing himself with one of the Naruto clones as he was grabbed from behind by what was presumably the real Naruto. Therefore, Naruto ended up hitting himself instead of Kakashi. He then spotted something on the ground and went to grab it, so it was most likely a bell, but he fell into the trap and was caught by a rope and was now hanging upside down. At that moment, Akira's clone retreated and hid, eventually joining the real deal. Kakashi then appeared and began lecturing Naruto, his back turned. The girl banished the clone that was helping Naruto and just then, Akira sensed something to her right: one of her clones was having the same thoughts as her in that moment: Kakashi's back was turned... The perfect time to strike.

Suddenly, six shuriken flew out of the trees nearby. 'Sasuke,' Akira thought. Akira positioned herself so that she could quietly exit the trees once the time was right just as the six shuriken hit Kakashi dead on. However, Akira got tense when the Kakashi that was hit turned into a log. And then Akira heard something move away and she hoped that it was Sasuke and her clone changing locations since they gave themselves away. Akira dismissed the clone that was Sakura. If Naruto had gotten caught and Sasuke was changing position, the next target was going to be her, and Kakashi-sensei had already seen a clone - he coulcn't see another or he'd get suspicious. Suddenly, Akira heard a girl scream. 'Sakura," she thought. Not only had she failed in helping Naruto, but Sakura was in trouble too. At least her plan wasn't compromised and, predictably, Sasuke was now her only hope in securing a bell and then freely helping the others. There were more screams. Why would Sakura scream twice? What was she seeing? Akira gasped.

"Shinobi battle style number two: Genjutsu," she whispered under her breath, remembering it from her books.

Kakashi-sensei was definitely not going easy on them. On one hand, Akira didn't think it was fair. They weren't even Genin yet and he was already training them as if they were Jōnin. On the other hand, Akira could only imagine the satisfaction after winning, completing such a daunting task. Just then, she spotted Sasuke and her last clone out in the glade with Kakashi-sensei. Akira slowed her breathing and concentrated on their conversation.

"... not like Sakura and Naruto."

"Say that after you guys get a bell," Kakashi said.

Both Uchiha turned towards their sensei and they shared a look. Sasuke and the Akira clone sent kunai and shuriken at Kakashi which he dodged easily to the left, but the siblings smiled and threw a kunai at a rope and it set off a trap. More shuriken and kunai were sent at Kakashi who was forced to dodge some more, heading in the location the siblings desired. The real Akira moved and got herself closer to the battle, in range of attacking Kakashi with a jutsu. Sasuke got himself behind Kakashi-sensei and began attacking him head on. Akira's clone made a hand seal and plunged a kunai into the ground. A current of electricity paralyzed Kakashi and the real Akira jumped out of her hiding place. In one swift movement, her right hand reached for the holster on her inner left arm and from it she pulled a small metal knife. As she landed, Akira swung out her arm and the small kinfe unfolded into a tachi1. She ran at Kakashi and slashed her sword towards his side, then immediately dismissed her clone. A few seconds later, Kakashi, recovered from the temporary paralysis, looked up to find Akira Uchiha, holding one of his bells. She smirked.

"Teamwork."


	7. Sensei

"Teamwork."

Akira laughed and looked at the bell she was holding. She was right: teamwork was the only way to go, and now the bell she was holding seemed like a lot more than just a bell. It was like a trophy. A trophy she and Sasuke had earned together. Akira looked over at her brother. For once he smiled at her.

"Impressive," Kakashi-sensei said.

"Now you said if a bell was taken as a team, it counted for everyone that was involved right?" Akira asked.

"Yes, I did."

Suddenly, Kakashi turned around and a split second later her was gone. Naruto had spotted the boxed lunches and was preparing to eat one but as Akira began to walk over to him, Kakashi-sensei caught him in the act and tied him to one of the posts. At the same time, Sakura had been liberated from the Genjutsu and, when she spotted Sasuke, she screamed again and fainted. Surprisingly, Sasuke went over to her and woke her up. Unfortunately for him, when she woke up, Sakura tackled Sasuke in a hug and he fought to get out of it. Akira laughed and that's when the alarm clock rang. Akira, Sasuke and Sakura calmly walked up to Naruto. He was sitting in front of three bento boxes, tied to one of the posts.

"You really thought that eating lunch before noon was a good idea?" Akira asked.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her and turned his head. Akira rolled her eyes but smiled nevertheless. She sat down beside Naruto and Sasuke sat beside her while Sakura sat on Naruto's other side. All at the same time, their stomachs growled and Kakashi-sensei stepped forward.

"Uh-oh, stomachs growling. That's too bad," he said. "Oh, about this exercise - well, I've decided that I won't be sending any of you back to the Academy."

"What? I passed?" Sakura asked. "All I did was faint and fall over. Do you get points for that?"

Sasuke chuckled in satisfaction, Naruto and Sakura cheered, and Akira grinned at the bell she was still holding.

"Then - then all four of us - all four of us- "

"No," Kakashi said sternly. Everyone stopped cheering and looked directly at Kakashi-sensei. "Akira will become a Genin. The rest of you, are being dropped from the program. Permanently."

"What? Drop us from the program? But that means we'll never become ninja!" Naruto protested. "You said that if we didn't get the bells, we'd get sent back to the Academy!"

"And what about Sasuke! You said that if a team got a bell it counted for everyone involved - not just me!" Akira exclaimed. "You can't just change your mind like that! How could you do that?"

"Because they don't think like ninja, they think like little kids, like brats," Kakashi-sensei said.

Angry, Sasuke launched himself at Kakashi, but like with Naruto, in a flash the sensei had his student pinned to the ground, a foot shoving his face into the ground. Akira glared at Kakashi.

"You, excluding Akira - you think it's all about you."

"Let go of Sasuke, you can't step on him like he's some bug!" Sakura yelled, tears welling up in her eyes.

"She's crazy, but I have to agree," Akira said through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry Akira, but they don't know what it means to be ninja," Kakashi said condescendingly. He looked at Naruto and Sakura. "You think it's a game, huh? Why did we put you on squads? Did you ponder that question for a moment?"

"I don't know what you mean," Sakura said.

"I mean, no one except Akira understood what this exercise was all about!" Kakashi stated. "Not even close."

"What it's about?" Naruto said, confused.

"Yes. That determines whether you pass or fail."

"But that's - I wanted to ask you that from the beginning," Sakura said.

"Use your head! Four people on a squad - why do you think we would do that?"

"Why don't you ask Akira, she knows the answer!" Naruto said, bratty.

The look on Akira's face had softened considerably upon finding out the true meaning of the test. She was right all along. The bells were only there to pine everyone against each other, it was a diversion. Like Kakashi said: see through deception. She didn't think it was the meaning of the test, but at least she'd seen that it was the only way to get the job done. Thankfully, Kakashi took that as understanding the test.

"Because she already knows! Because it's basic! It's teamwork!"

Everyone's expression stiffened and they all gazed at Kakashi-sensei, shocked and a little confused.

"Just working together? Is that what you mean?" Sakura asked.

"That's what I mean," Kakashi said.

"But Akira only teamed up with me, not all of us!" Naruto complained.

"That's not exactly right," Akira said. "I stayed behind, hidden, and I sent a clone of myself to each of you."

"What?"

"The way you all dashed off when Kakashi-sensei gave the all clear - there was no way you'd all work together, so I had to figure something out. I asked sensei if two people caught a single bell, did that bell count for both people. When he said yes, I sent a clone to each of you in the hopes that I could help someone get one of the three bells. That meant there were two bells left for two people. And if Kakashi-sensei permitted it, I'd had gone to help the others get their own as well."

"It's too late now, but if you hadn't so easily fallen prey to my traps, and let Akira help you, you might each have a bell by now," Kakashi said. "Well, anyway, it's over."

"Wait a minute," Sakura said. "You set it up with three bells and four people. Even if we worked together, one person still wouldn't have a bell and that would lead to group conflict, then the squad would break up."

"He did it on purpose," Akira said, almost bored.

"Exactly. I purposely pitted you against each other," Kakashi admitted. "I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves! A Genin should naturally lean towards teamwork, but you... the thought never even crossed your minds. Sakura - you obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, while Naruto was right there and you didn't lift a finger to help him. Naruto - you do everything on your own... everything! And you," Kakashi said, pressing Sasuke's face harder into the ground, "you Sasuke thought that the others were so far beneath you they were worthless - arrogance! But your sister? Akira tried to help all of you despite all of your differences as well as keeping herself safe from harm."

Akira smiled meekly.

"Ninja missions are carried out in squads. Of course, you need individual skills, but teamwork is the most essential element. Every shinobi knows this. When individuals put themselves above the squad this can lead to failure and death. For example..." Kakashi removed a kunai from one of his pouches and placed it against Sasuke's neck. Akira flinched forwards. "Sakura, kill Naruto now or Sasuke dies!"

Akira, Sakura and Naruto looked scandalized.

"That's what happens on a mission." Kakashi put the kunai away. "The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice. And someone ends up dead." Kakashi stood up and walked away, heading for a large stone. "On every mission, your life is on the line... Did you look at this stone? The names engraved on it?" he said, stopping in front of it. "They are all ninja that are honoured as heroes in our village."

"That's it - that's it - that's it!" Naruto exclaimed. "I decided I'm gonna have my name engraved on that stone!"

Akira's head swiftly turned towards Naruto and she glared at him so much that he visibly recoiled. Even Sakura, who wasn't directly looking at her could see the viciousness in her glance. It was dark and murderous - nothing she'd ever seen on Akira before, or something she wanted to see ever again.

"They are... a special kind of hero," Kakashi said, looking back at the students, obviously sensing the dark aura behind him. "They're all, K.I.A."

"Oh, that sounds real cool!" Naruto said, but Akira's glare made him shrink again.

"K.I.A. means killed in action Naruto, they all died!" Akira said angrily. "The Uchiha name is the most prominent one on that stone."

Instantly, Naruto's happy face turned into a sad one. Even Sasuke, who rarely let his emotion show, narrowed his eyes at the stone. And Sakura, looked sadly at an angry Akira.

"This is a memorial," Kakashi said calmly. "The names of my closest friends are engraved here."

Akira's anger melted away and her head turned towards her sensei. He was looking down at the down, and he did that in silence for a while until Akira was standing beside him, looking down at the names of her parents, her uncles, her cousins.

"You could give them another chance..." Akira muttered, just loud enough so that Kakashi-sensei could hear. He glanced sideways at her. "My father never cared much for second chances, but my mother always said if you believed in someone, or yourself, you were worthy of a second chance." She looked up at him, into the one deep grey eye. "Do you believe in them, sensei? Because I do."

Kakashi looked at her for a while as if mentally debating something or thinking deeply. It was like he was remembering or reliving something, his gaze unwavering. And then he blinked, breaking the eye-contact. He turned to the three other students.

"All right, I'm going to give you one more chance."

Akira closed her eyes and smiled. When she reopened them, her dark blue eyes landed on her mother's name as if by chance or by fate. In the background, Naruto and Sakura cheered and so Akira turned around. Sasuke glanced at her and he smirked - he knew she'd convinced Kakashi-sensei in some way.

"But I'm going to make it much harder on you," Kakashi said. "You'll only have one hour to accomplish the task. Eat lunch now to build up strength, but - Naruto doesn't get any. It's your punishment for trying to eat by yourself. And, if anyone tries to feed him, that person will immediately fail." Kakashi looked at Akira. "Akira, you've already passed, so you can't help them in any way."

Naruto was about to protest but Kakashi-sensei cut him off before he could say anything.

"I make the rules. You follow them. Got it?"

"Yes, sensei," Sakura said.

Kakashi left and he was soon out of sight, but Akira doubted he was very far. She took all three lunch boxes and handed one to Sakura and the other to Sasuke. The three of them began eating in silence, cross-legged on the ground, while Naruto remained foodless and tied to a post. But then Naruto's stomach growled.

"This is okay! I can go without eating for day, for weeks! Believe it!" Naruto shouted. "This is no big deal."

But his perpetually growling stomach was giving it all away. If Akira had still been participating in the exercise, she would have offered some of her food to him, but she wasn't, and so she was counting on selfish Sasuke and dumb Sakura to feed him and prove to Kakashi-sensei that they knew what teamwork was. Just like that, and to Akira's great surprise, Sasuke extended his arm and offered his food to Naruto. The raven-haired girl smiled.

"Here," he said, sounding annoyed.

"No, Sasuke! You can't do that!" Sakura said, voice hushed. "You heard what the sensei said!"

"Kakashi's gone. We need to get those bells as a team. If Naruto's hungry, he'll be weak and ineffective. That hurts the team and jeopardizes the mission," Sasuke said, then looked over at his sister. "At least that's what Akira would say, or... something like that."

Akira smiled at her brother, who gave her half a smile. Then Sakura also offered up her food, but she smiled at Naruto, making him almost teary-eyed. She explained that she was on a diet anyway and that she'd give up her food to let Sasuke eat. Of course, Sakura was a bit annoyed that she had to feed Naruto since his hands were literally tied, but she did it anyway. Unfortunately, right after Naruto took his first bite, Kakashi-sensei appeared in front of them in a big cloud of smoke.

"Talk about a drama queen..." Akira mumbled, staring deadpan at Kakashi.

"YOU!" he shouted at Naruto, making him yell out. "You broke the rules. I hope you're ready for the punishment!"

Akira knew he must be joking so she kept eating calmly until whatever jutsu he was performing created a storm blew her food away. She then went to glare at Kakashi but she stopped when she saw the jutsu he was doing. She recognized the hand sign he was making from a book she had studied for fun one day. Suddenly, dark charcoal clouds formed above all of them and then thunder began to resonate in Akira's ears. Kakashi was brewing up a storm.

"Any last words?"

"Yeah, you made my lunch fly away, sensei," Akira said under her breath, annoyed.

"But - but you said- "

"Yes?" Kakashi said, taunting.

"You said there were four of us! That's what you said, and that's why..."

"We're all on this squad and we're all in it together!" Sasuke said, standing up.

"Yeah, that's right!" Sakura added. "We gave up our lunch because the four of us are one!"

"The four of you are one? That's your excuse?" Kakashi-sensei said, looming over the four students. He suddenly smiled a closed-eye smile. "You pass."

Akira looked at her teacher wide-eyed. The storm was dissipating and the blue sky returned. Akira blinked a few times and Kakashi repeated himself because everyone was so shocked.

"We passed?" Sakura said. "How'd we pass?"

"You're the first squad that ever succeeded," Kakashi-sensei said. "The others did exactly as I said and fell into every trap. They couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, that's true. But... ninja who leave their friends behind are worse than scum."

"Heh," Akira chuckled. "You're kinda cool, sensei."

"The exercise is over. Everyone passes! Squad seven get their first mission tomorrow!" Kakashi said, with a thumbs-up. He turned around and looked over his shoulder. "Let's go home."

Akira smiled and ran up to her sensei, grinning like a child. She was almost bouncing as she walked, more than excited to know that she was officially a ninja. Akira was one step closer to her dream of becoming the Head of the Konoha Military Police, of following in her father's footsteps, of protecting Konoha and its people. She looked up at Kakashi-sensei and he looked down at her, his eyes softening.

"Don't think this smile means I'm not mad at you for messing up my lunch sensei!"

"Your lunch?" Kakashi said, blinking stupidly.

"Yeah, your storm blew it away!" Akira complained. "What was that anyway? I know I read about it on a scroll somewhere, or something..."

"Come on," he said, chuckling. "I'll tell you about it over lunch."

Kakashi dropped a hand on Akira's head and lightly ruffled her hair much to her annoyance. Somehow it didn't bother her like is usually did - instead she laughed and playfully smacked his hand away. Maybe this is what it was felt like to have someone believe in you... Maybe Kakashi Hatake was Akira's Iruka-sensei? Looking up at him, she sure hoped so.


	8. A C-Rank Mission!

The air was very clear and the sun was bright the morning of Akira's first mission. For the first time since the exam, Akira got to walk with Kai to school where they were both meeting their sensei's for their first mission. After tackling him in a hug, Akira noticed that Kai changed outfit for his mission: he was no longer wearing the traditional blue kimono he always wore, but switched it up for a fitted black shirt with long sleeves, black pants and a blue apron-skirt with slits on the sides. It would be easier to access the kunai and his two handheld fans this way than from under a large kimono.

"So, you finally brought them out, eh?" Akira said, nodding towards the paper fans attached to Kai's arms.

"And I see you've got your tachi," Kai said, mentioning to the holsters on Akira's arms.

"Yup, and they were actually useful during my test yesterday."

"Mine too! I used them to blast the crap out of Kurenai-sensei!"

"Oh, that's right, I forgot to ask! How is this sensei of yours?"

Kai laughed and looked at as if he was remembering something.

"She's kind of like a big sister. She's honest, kinda stubborn, but she cares a lot about her students - it shows. She's taken a particular interest in Hinata - I think it's because she's the only girl in the group." Kai turned to Akira. "Or maybe it's because her cousin Neji and her father are bunch of morons, I don't know. But Kurenai is probably the greatest sensei we could have. I bet she's better than yours! What about you? What's up with your sensei and your messed up team?"

"Hey, we're different, but we're not messed up - except for Sakura, maybe," Akira chuckled. "To be honest... Kakashi-sensei is an overgrown child. He Kancho'd Naruto."

"He what!?"

"Yeah, Naruto was doing these really pathetic attacks and sensei got annoyed so he Kancho'd him!" Akira laughed. "I was hiding and couldn't exactly laugh, but it was hilarious."

"I heard rumours that he's super tough," Kai said. "That true?"

"Not exactly," Akira said, pensive. "He seems harsh, demanding and ruthless, but I don't think he is. See, we had to take a bell away from him to pass his test, which was hard, yes, considering he's a Jōnin - add the fact that he had only three bell instead of four and pitted us against each other..."

"Yikes," Kai said, eyes wide.

"So yeah, it seemed impossible... But the only purpose of the test was to see if we worked together despite all that." Akira chuckled. "His methods are a little... elaborate and complicated for nothing, but they get the job done. Plus he's got this really cool hair and he took us all out for lunch yesterday! Oh, and he showed me this really cool storm creating jutsu! I was practicing all night."

"That's why there was thunder and lightning all night!" Kai exclaimed, smacking Akira on the shoulder. "My mom was so mad - she couldn't go out to her garden and stare at her flowers for hours."

"Sorry if I wasn't thinking about your mother - I happen to like thunder and lightning! Besides, everything is dried up already; it looks like it hasn't rained in days."

"Yeah, yeah, Miss-I-Have-A-Natural-Affinity-To-Two-Nature-Types-Instead-Of-One."

"That's elaborate, yet accurate."

When Kai and Akira got to the Academy, Kiba was already there talking to Hinata. Hinata was the one who spotted Akira and Kai first, despite Kiba's heightened hearing and sense of smell. Akira quietly snuck up on Kiba and jumped onto his back, making him shout in surprise. The girl held onto him as he spun around and tried to shake her off, without success. Akira wrapped an arm around Kiba's neck and swung down, landing gracefully on the ground with an arm over his shoulders.

"Akira!" Kiba shouted, tackling the raven-haired girl in a hug and swinging her around.

"What, you didn't know it was me?" Akira laughed as Kiba set her down.

"Who knows? Ino has gotten into the habit of doing that to every guy she sees - she thinks it'll make Sasuke jealous."

"Why am I not surprised?" Akira turned to Hinata. "Hi, I'm Akira Uchiha - you're Hinata, right?"

"Yes," Hinata said in a small, soft voice. "I am Hinata Hyuga - it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Akira said with a smile. "So, Kai gave me his impression of Kurenai-sensei - what do you think?"

"Major respect for that woman," Kiba said. "She kicks butt."

"She's really nice and really caring," Hinata added. "She is a great sensei."

"How's yours?" Kiba asked, Akira.

"She's practically in love with him," Kai chuckled.

"What!? I am not!" Akira shouted, smaking Kai upside the head. "Look, he's a great sensei and I have the utmost respect for him. He's even taught me a jutsu already."

"She was the storm and lightning last night," Kai said. "Oh, and her sensei, Kakashi, he Kancho'd Naruto."

"No way!" Kiba smiled, showing off his fangs. "Did he really?"

"Yup! Naruto flew straight into the lake."

"What'd I miss?"

Akira recognized Shikamaru's voice immediately and went to hug him but he put his index finger on her forehead to stop her.

"I'm allergic to physical affection," he said.

"Ugh, you're such drag, Shikamaru," Akira complained, mimicking him.

He smirked at her and trapped her in a brief side hug, the usual greeting from Shikamaru. All the friends talked for what seemed like hours and spoke of what had happened to them and their teams during the final test with their sensei. Shikamaru talked about Asuma-sensei which turned out to be quite like himself: he was laid-back, smart and straightforward. Akira could see why Shikamaru liked him so much. Eventually, Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei arrived with the rest of teams eight and nine and departed on their missions for the day. Akira was left alone in front of the Academy, waiting for the rest of her team to show up. Surprisingly, Kakashi-sensei was there before everyone else.

"Wow, you're actually early," Akira said, shocked. "What happened? Did you bang your head or something? I mean, you're tall enough to bang your head in doorways..."

"No, it's mission day," Kakashi-said simply.

"That's it? You're on time because there's a mission?"

"Yup."

"You're weird."

* * *

Yet another mundane mission was accomplished by squad seven. Tora the cat, pet of the Feudal Lord's wife, was captured and safely returned to it's owner who immediately showered it in affection, nearly choking the cat to death. The tasks that the Hokage gave team seven were stupid, yes, but they weren't useless. Sure they were boring, but they were learning so many things like proper procedure during a mission, positioning, even maintaining communication when members of the squad were separated. At least, Akira appreciated the learning experience. Or at least she did at the beginning... So, after delivering the cat back to it's terrifying owner and going to the Hokage for a new mission, Naruto decided that enough was enough - he wanted a more challenging mission.

"Now then... For squad seven we have many available tasks," the Hokage said. "Among them, babysitting the chief counselor's three year old- "

"No, no, no! I wanna go on a real mission!" Naruto complained. "Something challenging and exciting, not this kid stuff!"

Akira sighed. 'He's got a point,' she thought to herself. Kakashi sighed as well; it looked like he was anticipating something like this from Naruto since he screamed it in the radio they were using this morning to communicate at long distances.

"How dare you! You're just a brand new Genin with no experience," Iruka-sensei shouted at him. "Like everyone else, you start with simple missions to develop your skills and prove yourself!"

"Are you serious!?" Naruto yelled back. "Babysitting isn't a mission! It's just a stupi- AH!"

Kakashi interrupted Naruto by smacking him on the head and sending him to the floor. Akira tried hard not to laugh.

"Will you put a lid on it?" Kakashi-sensei said, apathetically.

"Naruto," the Hokage said commandingly. "It seems you do not understand the tasks that you have been given. Listen. Many different requests come here everyday. From baby sitting... to assassinations. These requests are carefully recorded, analyzed and separated into A, B, C and D ranks, depending on their difficulty. We ninja are also separated by ability: Hokage at the top, followed by Jōnin, then Chūnin and lastly, Genin. The ninja at the highest level then select the appropriate ninja with the correct set of skills for the appropriate mission. And if the mission is successful, we receive a fee that supports our village and our work. Since you are untried Genin, just starting down the shinobi path, you are given D-level assignments of course. Huh?"

The Hokage opened his eyes after his explanation to find that no one, not even Kakashi was listening to him. Instead, they were all listening to Naruto, still sitting on the floor, talk about the tonkatsu ramen he had yesterday for lunch.

"Silence!" the Hokage yelled.

"Oh, uh, sorry," Kakashi said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're always lecturing me, old man!" Naruto shouted. "But I'm not the little brat that used to pull pranks all the time! I'm a ninja now, and I want a ninja mission!"

"So be it."

Akira looked up at the Hokage, hopeful. Were they really going to go on a mission ranked higher than D?

"Since you're so determined, I'm going to give you a C-rank mission. You'll be bodyguards on a journey."

"Really?" Naruto asked, getting excited. "Yes! Who - who? Are we guarding a princess, or a big shot counselor?"

"Don't be so impatient - I will bring him in now," the Hokage said. "Send in our visitor"

Just then, the entrance door opened and in walked a... very drunk man. Akira raised an eyebrow at him and sighed when the man took a sip of whatever liquor he had in the bottle he had with him. She looked over at her brother who turned to her - she knew he was thinking the exact same thing: what the heck was this?

"What the- ? Just a bunch of snot-nosed kids?" the man slurred.

"Sensei... really?" Akira said, sounding contemptuous. Kakashi merely shrugged - he was powerless to the Hokage.

"And you? The little one with the idiotic look on your face - do you really expect me to believe you're a ninja?"

"Ha! Who's the little one with the- " Naruto cut himself off; he'd noticed he was the shortest of them. He launched himself at the man, but Kakashi held him back by the collar. "I'll demolish him!"

"You can't demolish the client, Naruto," Kakashi said, deadpan. "It doesn't work that way."

"I am Tazuna, a master bridge maker, and I must return to my country," the man said. "I am building a bridge that will change our world, and I expect you to get me there safely even at the cost of your own life."

* * *

Akira stared at the gate to Konoha as she walked underneath it and out of the village, her head and her eyes never looking away. This would be Akira's first time outside Konoha, and neither she or Naruto were taking this lightly. This was the first step to the rest of her life as a ninja - a milestone if you will. Akira walked backwards and she stared back into the city, surprisingly not scared to leave the safety of those walls. She was excited, thrilled to go on this adventure even if it was to guard a drunk and grumpy old man.

Sakura was smiling at both Naruto and Akira who were practically running away from Konoha, chanting some stupid song that Naruto had taught her and Kai when they were years younger. Sasuke couldn't do anything but scoff, seeing them goofing off like this on a more serious mission - but it was their first time out of Konoha, how could Sasuke not be even a little excited. Even Sakura was joyful.

"What're you so excited about?" Sasuke sighed.

"It's our first time outside Konoha, Sasuke!" Akira said, smiling. "Aren't you even a little excited?"

"We're travelers now - believe it!" Naruto added.

"Hey! Am I supposed to trust my life to these runts? They're a joke!" Tazuna said.

Both Naruto and Akira stopped, angry. Kakashi immediately sensed the same dark aura coming from Akira.

"They're with me, and I'm a Jōnin, so you don't need to worry. Besides, Akira is one of the best students from the Academy - she's just... happy, today," Kakashi said, calming Akira down. At least now Tazuna knew she was wasn't a joke.

"Hey! Never insult a ninja, it's a big mistake!" Naruto shouted. "And I'm one of the greatest ninja, ever! Someday, I'm gonna be a Hokage and you're gonna look up to me! My name is Naruto Uzumaki - remember it!"

"Hokage are powerful and wise, you are puny and brainless," Tazuna said. "The day you become Hokage, I'll sprout wings and fly."

"Ahh! Shut up!" Naruto yelled. "I'm willing to do anything to become Hokage, no matter what it takes! And when I do, everyone's gonna have to admit that I'm the top ninja and so will you!"

"Ha! You could become Hokage ten times over and to me you'd still be a nobody, a loser."

Naruto launched himself at Tazuna again, but this time it was Akira who held him back by the collar.

"Sensei told you, Naruto - you're not supposed to attack the client!" she said.

"Come on, let me at him - he'll pay for what he said!"

Akira smacked Naruto on the head and looked at her angrily. Tazuna walked off laughing.

"Yes, it makes you mad. Yes, it's wrong what he's saying. But Naruto, you have to pick your battles! Fighting a client isn't the way you do missions. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little dignity to get the job done," Akira said. "Now, go on I know you wanted to lead the group."

As Naruto went ahead, Akira sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. This mission, even without the protecting part, was going to a pain if Naruto kept needed to be babysat like this. This was going to be a very long journey...


	9. The Hidden Mist Chūnin

The warm sun pierced the sky and kissed Akira's face as she looked up at it. The sky was as blue as it had ever been, no trace of the storm she'd created the previous night. The trees were a vibrant green and Akira listened to the birds chirp somewhere off in the distance. The sweet fragrance of the wisteria and irises reached Akira's nose and she couldn't resist plucking an iris and placing it behind her ear, the pale purple of the flower bringing out the blue in her dark eyes. The stream flowed peacefully under their feet as they crossed a short bridge, and the dirt pathway through the trees was completely dry except for one puddle.

Akira's eyebrow's furrowed. A puddle? Why was there a puddle in the middle of a warm, dry path? Akira looked over at Kakashi - he'd glanced at it too. And if Kakashi-sensei thought it was odd, then something was surely afoot. No one else seemed to notice, however, so maybe it wasn't that big of a deal. Sakura was especially unconcerned as she was taking pictures of herself and trying to take pictures of the rest of the team on her first mission. When Sasuke insisted she shoved her camera down her throat, Sakura put it away and decided to ask Kakashi-sensei some questions.

"Mr. Tazuna's country is the land of waves, right? Are there ninja there too?"

"No, there are no ninja in the Land of Waves," he replied, deadpan as usual. "But in other countries, there are hidden villages each with their own customs and cultures where ninja reside." Akira looked at her sensei and listened as well. "To the people of this continent, the existence of shinobi villages means strength - military strength. In other words, that's how they protect themselves and maintain the balance of power with neighbouring countries. The ninja villages are not controlled by any government, they're independent and have equal status. Now, a small island like the Land of Waves has a natural protection from the sea - the fog - so, there's no need for a ninja village. The five ancient lands that possess shinobi villages are the lands of Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind and Earth."

"Like the five nature types of jutsu," Akira commented.

"Correct," Kakashi said. "They each occupy vast territories and together, they form the Five Great Shinobi Nations. The Land of Fire has the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the Land of Waves has the Village Hidden in the Mist, the Land of Lightning - the Village Hidden in the clouds, the Land of Wind - the Village Hidden in the Sand, and the Land of Earth has the Village Hidden in the Stones. Only the leaders of these villages are permitted the name 'Kage', which means Shadow: Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage. These are the leaders, the five shadows that reign over thousands of ninja."

'He's the strongest in the Land of Fire?' Akira thought. 'But he just sits there and does paperwork all day...'

"Hey!"

Akira snapped out of her thoughts, suddenly nervous about doubting the Hokage.

"You all just doubted Lord Hokage, didn't you?" Kakashi said.

Akira, Naruto and Sakura began shaking their heads, Naruto was also laughing nervously. Kakashi gently put his hand on Akira's head; she looked up at him.

"Well, anyway - there are no ninja battles in a C-rank mission, so you can relax," he said.

"Then we're not going to run into any foreign enemy ninja?" Akira asked. Kakashi chuckled and smiled at her.

"Not likely."

When Akira turned back to the front, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were glaring at her.

"Hey, why are you all glaring at me?"

Sakura's eyes flickered upward to Kakashi's hand on Akira's head. He removed it almost instantaneously.

"It's a hand. On my head. Get over yourselves."

"Not anymore," Sakura taunted.

"Not anymore," Akira said in a mocking tone of voice. "Please, can you even hear yourself?"

Sakura became red-faced and turned back to the front, continuing to walk as if nothing had happened. Akira frowned. What was wrong with Kakashi patting her head? It's not like he hadn't done it before. She couldn't see their faces at the time however, maybe they were glaring then, too? But why would they do that? Jealousy? No, it couldn't be. Just then, Akira and everyone else heard a movement behind them and suddenly, Kakashi-sensei pushed Akira forward. She stumbled a bit but recovered quickly and turned around just in time to see her sensei get wrapped in extremely sharp chains. There were two men attached together with said chain and they'd managed to get Kakashi caught. If he hadn't pushed her, Akira would have been in there too. Suddenly, the two men pulled on their chains and squeezed Kakashi-sensei until the sharp blades crushed the silver-haired ninja and whatever fell to the ground was a heap of bloody Kakashi chunks.

Akira's breath hitched in her throat at the sight and she thought she was about to throw up. Memories of her dead clan began to resurface and panic began to set in. Akira hadn't been in this state outside of her bedroom in years. She'd only ever experienced this kind of fear from her nightmares about her family. Her family. Kakashi might have only been her sensei for a few months, but he was such a big part of her life. And her team... She was panicking because her new family was threatened. She couldn't stop it last time... but maybe she could this time.

Still panicking, Akira looked over at her brother and they both nodded at each other. Just as the men's chain was heading towards Naruto, who'd frozen in place, Sasuke pulled out a shuriken and threw it at the chain, pinning it against a tree and then he threw a kunai in the center of his shuriken to secure it. Meanwhile, Akira dashed at the two men and jumped, her feet landing quite stable on their pinned arms. She then grabbed their arms and, with her feet, kicked the two men in the face, ripping the chains of their arm pieces.

The two men circled back - one towards Naruto, the other towards Tazuna. These men were relentless! Sakura planted herself in front of Tazuna, pointing a kunai and the charging man, but then Sasuke stood in front of Sakura to protect her. Akira unsheathed a knife from her arm band and flicked it outwards, dashing at the man heading towards Naruto. She was just about to slash down on him when, out of nowhere, Kakashi-sensei appeared and grabbed both men by the neck with ease. Akira froze on the spot, too surprised to even care that that seemed too easy for her sensei. He was alive; that was all she could think of - all the fear was erased.

"Hi," he said simply.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Akira said happily, grinning from ear to ear.

"Huh? But he was- " Naruto turned back to was used to be a pile of Kakashi bits, but were now small logs. "You used a substitution jutsu!?"

"Naruto, sorry I didn't help you right away. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I just didn't think you'd... freeze up like that," Kakashi said, walking towards Akira, Sasuke and Sakura. " Good job, Akira, Sasuke - very smooth. You too, Sakura."

Akira grinned at her sensei, completely ignoring everything else. That until Kakashi mentioned the word 'poison'. The men's claws were poisoned and Naruto had been hit on the hand with them. The poison was slowly moving through his blood, but it would barely move if Naruto stayed still. Kakashi tied up the two men to a nearby tree, then he turned to Tazuna.

"Mr. Tazuna."

"Y-Yeah, what?"

"We need to talk." Kakashi crossed his arms. "They're Chūnin from the Village Hidden in the Mist. Their specialty is 'relentless attack' - they keep fighting no matter what the sacrifice."

"How did you know about our ambush?" one of them asked.

"A puddle - on a clear day when everything is dried up?"

"So that's why the puddle was there. You were hiding in it until it was time to strike!" Akira noted.

"In that case, why did you leave the fighting up to the Genin?" Tazuna asked.

"I could have taken them out quickly, but then I'd have learned nothing. I had to know who their target was," Kakashi said condescendingly, glaring at Tazuna.

"Hm? What are you getting at?" he asked.

"This: I wanted to know if they were after us, ninja attacking ninja, or if they were after you, the master bridge maker," sensei said, turning towards the man he was speaking to. "When you put in your request, you asked for standard protection from robbers and highwaymen. You didn't say there were ninja looking for you, hunting you down. If we knew this, it would be a B-rank mission or higher. Our job was simply to get to home and protect you while you finished building your bridge."

Kakashi's voice was getting dangerously low, starting to make Akira realize just how scary he could be. Even Naruto and Sakura seemed to look uneasy.

"If we knew there were ninja after you we would have staffed differently and charged for the cost of a B-rank mission. Apparently you have your reasons, but lying to us is not acceptable. We are now beyond the scope of this mission."

"We're Genin," Sakura said. "This is too advanced for our level of training. We should go back."

"But we've gotten this far!" Akira said, disappointed.

"We should go back, get Naruto's wound to a doctor."

"Naruto's hand could become a problem," Kakashi said, almost bored. "I guess we should go back to the village."

Akira sighed and glared at Sakura who smiled innocently at her. What was she up to? Naruto could remove the poison himself by cutting open his wound a little bit to let the blood drain - so why did they have to go back to the village? They didn't need a doctor! Besides, if they ended up going back, the Hokage would most likely end up sending someone else on the mission. Akira knew it was dangerous, but she wanted to complete it, and she was sure that her brother as well as Naruto wanted the same thing. Suddenly, as if he'd been reading her mind, Naruto took a kunai and plunged it into his hand, the blood draining from it as well as the poison.

"Why am I so different?" he growled, turning around.

"Naruto!" Sakura called. "What are you doing!?"

"He's bleeding out the poison, Sakura, that's what," Akira said with a smirk. "We won't have to go back to the village after all."

"I worked so hard to get here - pushing myself until it hurt, training alone for hours," Naruto shouted, "anything to get stronger - to reach my dreams. I will never back down again and let someone else rescue me! I will never run away. I will not lose to anyone. Upon this wound, I make this pledge: bridge builder, I'll complete this mission and protect you with this kunai!" Naruto turned around, staring at Tazuna with determination. Akira smiled. "Don't worry I'll be fine."

"Um, Naruto?" Akira said, walking over to him with bandages. "That was cool and all, how you removed the poison, but you're gonna bleed to death if you lose any more blood."

Naruto's face drained of colour. Kakashi walked over as well.

"Good idea to stop the bleeding now," he said in a sing-song voice.

"Ah! No, no, no! I'm too young for it to all end like this! No, no, no!"

"Show me your hand, Naruto. Akira, get ready to bandage."

"Right, sensei!" Akira said, unrolling the medical fabric.

"Naruto, you've got a self-abusive personality!" Sakura said sternly. "It's called masochism!"

Kakashi held Naruto's hand in place, but as Akira was about to put a bandage on his wound, she noticed that his cut was fusing back together with a flicker of orange light. She didn't need to look at him to know that Kakashi was looking at it too. He was already starting to heal? How could that be?

"Uh, guys? You have really serious looks on your faces, you're scaring me... Am I going to be okay?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, you should be fine. Akira?"

"Right."

Akira wrapped his hand in bandages after wiping all the blood off, her mind racing. He was healing up already - it looked like a fire was sealing the wound shut. Fire. Suddenly she remembered stories from her family. She looked up at Kakashi-sensei and wondered, as they kept walking to the Land of Waves, if he was thinking the same thing too... Could it be the Nine-Tailed Fox?


	10. The Demon of the Hidden Mist

The warm sun pierced the sky and kissed Akira's face as she looked up at it. The sky was as blue as it had ever been, no trace of the storm she'd created the previous night. The trees were a vibrant green and Akira listened to the birds chirp somewhere off in the distance. The sweet fragrance of the wisteria and irises reached Akira's nose and she couldn't resist plucking an iris and placing it behind her ear, the pale purple of the flower bringing out the blue in her dark eyes. The stream flowed peacefully under their feet as they crossed a short bridge, and the dirt pathway through the trees was completely dry except for one puddle.

Akira's eyebrow's furrowed. A puddle? Why was there a puddle in the middle of a warm, dry path? Akira looked over at Kakashi - he'd glanced at it too. And if Kakashi-sensei thought it was odd, then something was surely afoot. No one else seemed to notice, however, so maybe it wasn't that big of a deal. Sakura was especially unconcerned as she was taking pictures of herself and trying to take pictures of the rest of the team on her first mission. When Sasuke insisted she shoved her camera down her throat, Sakura put it away and decided to ask Kakashi-sensei some questions.

"Mr. Tazuna's country is the land of waves, right? Are there ninja there too?"

"No, there are no ninja in the Land of Waves," he replied, deadpan as usual. "But in other countries, there are hidden villages each with their own customs and cultures where ninja reside." Akira looked at her sensei and listened as well. "To the people of this continent, the existence of shinobi villages means strength - military strength. In other words, that's how they protect themselves and maintain the balance of power with neighbouring countries. The ninja villages are not controlled by any government, they're independent and have equal status. Now, a small island like the Land of Waves has a natural protection from the sea - the fog - so, there's no need for a ninja village. The five ancient lands that possess shinobi villages are the lands of Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind and Earth."

"Like the five nature types of jutsu," Akira commented.

"Correct," Kakashi said. "They each occupy vast territories and together, they form the Five Great Shinobi Nations. The Land of Fire has the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the Land of Waves has the Village Hidden in the Mist, the Land of Lightning - the Village Hidden in the clouds, the Land of Wind - the Village Hidden in the Sand, and the Land of Earth has the Village Hidden in the Stones. Only the leaders of these villages are permitted the name 'Kage', which means Shadow: Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage. These are the leaders, the five shadows that reign over thousands of ninja."

'He's the strongest in the Land of Fire?' Akira thought. 'But he just sits there and does paperwork all day...'

"Hey!"

Akira snapped out of her thoughts, suddenly nervous about doubting the Hokage.

"You all just doubted Lord Hokage, didn't you?" Kakashi said.

Akira, Naruto and Sakura began shaking their heads, Naruto was also laughing nervously. Kakashi gently put his hand on Akira's head; she looked up at him.

"Well, anyway - there are no ninja battles in a C-rank mission, so you can relax," he said.

"Then we're not going to run into any foreign enemy ninja?" Akira asked. Kakashi chuckled and smiled at her.

"Not likely."

When Akira turned back to the front, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were glaring at her.

"Hey, why are you all glaring at me?"

Sakura's eyes flickered upward to Kakashi's hand on Akira's head. He removed it almost instantaneously.

"It's a hand. On my head. Get over yourselves."

"Not anymore," Sakura taunted.

"Not anymore," Akira said in a mocking tone of voice. "Please, can you even hear yourself?"

Sakura became red-faced and turned back to the front, continuing to walk as if nothing had happened. Akira frowned. What was wrong with Kakashi patting her head? It's not like he hadn't done it before. She couldn't see their faces at the time however, maybe they were glaring then, too? But why would they do that? Jealousy? No, it couldn't be. Just then, Akira and everyone else heard a movement behind them and suddenly, Kakashi-sensei pushed Akira forward. She stumbled a bit but recovered quickly and turned around just in time to see her sensei get wrapped in extremely sharp chains. There were two men attached together with said chain and they'd managed to get Kakashi caught. If he hadn't pushed her, Akira would have been in there too. Suddenly, the two men pulled on their chains and squeezed Kakashi-sensei until the sharp blades crushed the silver-haired ninja and whatever fell to the ground was a heap of bloody Kakashi chunks.

Akira's breath hitched in her throat at the sight and she thought she was about to throw up. Memories of her dead clan began to resurface and panic began to set in. Akira hadn't been in this state outside of her bedroom in years. She'd only ever experienced this kind of fear from her nightmares about her family. Her family. Kakashi might have only been her sensei for a few months, but he was such a big part of her life. And her team... She was panicking because her new family was threatened. She couldn't stop it last time... but maybe she could this time.

Still panicking, Akira looked over at her brother and they both nodded at each other. Just as the men's chain was heading towards Naruto, who'd frozen in place, Sasuke pulled out a shuriken and threw it at the chain, pinning it against a tree and then he threw a kunai in the center of his shuriken to secure it. Meanwhile, Akira dashed at the two men and jumped, her feet landing quite stable on their pinned arms. She then grabbed their arms and, with her feet, kicked the two men in the face, ripping the chains of their arm pieces.

The two men circled back - one towards Naruto, the other towards Tazuna. These men were relentless! Sakura planted herself in front of Tazuna, pointing a kunai and the charging man, but then Sasuke stood in front of Sakura to protect her. Akira unsheathed a knife from her arm band and flicked it outwards, dashing at the man heading towards Naruto. She was just about to slash down on him when, out of nowhere, Kakashi-sensei appeared and grabbed both men by the neck with ease. Akira froze on the spot, too surprised to even care that that seemed too easy for her sensei. He was alive; that was all she could think of - all the fear was erased.

"Hi," he said simply.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Akira said happily, grinning from ear to ear.

"Huh? But he was- " Naruto turned back to was used to be a pile of Kakashi bits, but were now small logs. "You used a substitution jutsu!?"

"Naruto, sorry I didn't help you right away. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I just didn't think you'd... freeze up like that," Kakashi said, walking towards Akira, Sasuke and Sakura. " Good job, Akira, Sasuke - very smooth. You too, Sakura."

Akira grinned at her sensei, completely ignoring everything else. That until Kakashi mentioned the word 'poison'. The men's claws were poisoned and Naruto had been hit on the hand with them. The poison was slowly moving through his blood, but it would barely move if Naruto stayed still. Kakashi tied up the two men to a nearby tree, then he turned to Tazuna.

"Mr. Tazuna."

"Y-Yeah, what?"

"We need to talk." Kakashi crossed his arms. "They're Chūnin from the Village Hidden in the Mist. Their specialty is 'relentless attack' - they keep fighting no matter what the sacrifice."

"How did you know about our ambush?" one of them asked.

"A puddle - on a clear day when everything is dried up?"

"So that's why the puddle was there. You were hiding in it until it was time to strike!" Akira noted.

"In that case, why did you leave the fighting up to the Genin?" Tazuna asked.

"I could have taken them out quickly, but then I'd have learned nothing. I had to know who their target was," Kakashi said condescendingly, glaring at Tazuna.

"Hm? What are you getting at?" he asked.

"This: I wanted to know if they were after us, ninja attacking ninja, or if they were after you, the master bridge maker," sensei said, turning towards the man he was speaking to. "When you put in your request, you asked for standard protection from robbers and highwaymen. You didn't say there were ninja looking for you, hunting you down. If we knew this, it would be a B-rank mission or higher. Our job was simply to get to home and protect you while you finished building your bridge."

Kakashi's voice was getting dangerously low, starting to make Akira realize just how scary he could be. Even Naruto and Sakura seemed to look uneasy.

"If we knew there were ninja after you we would have staffed differently and charged for the cost of a B-rank mission. Apparently you have your reasons, but lying to us is not acceptable. We are now beyond the scope of this mission."

"We're Genin," Sakura said. "This is too advanced for our level of training. We should go back."

"But we've gotten this far!" Akira said, disappointed.

"We should go back, get Naruto's wound to a doctor."

"Naruto's hand could become a problem," Kakashi said, almost bored. "I guess we should go back to the village."

Akira sighed and glared at Sakura who smiled innocently at her. What was she up to? Naruto could remove the poison himself by cutting open his wound a little bit to let the blood drain - so why did they have to go back to the village? They didn't need a doctor! Besides, if they ended up going back, the Hokage would most likely end up sending someone else on the mission. Akira knew it was dangerous, but she wanted to complete it, and she was sure that her brother as well as Naruto wanted the same thing. Suddenly, as if he'd been reading her mind, Naruto took a kunai and plunged it into his hand, the blood draining from it as well as the poison.

"Why am I so different?" he growled, turning around.

"Naruto!" Sakura called. "What are you doing!?"

"He's bleeding out the poison, Sakura, that's what," Akira said with a smirk. "We won't have to go back to the village after all."

"I worked so hard to get here - pushing myself until it hurt, training alone for hours," Naruto shouted, "anything to get stronger - to reach my dreams. I will never back down again and let someone else rescue me! I will never run away. I will not lose to anyone. Upon this wound, I make this pledge: bridge builder, I'll complete this mission and protect you with this kunai!" Naruto turned around, staring at Tazuna with determination. Akira smiled. "Don't worry I'll be fine."

"Um, Naruto?" Akira said, walking over to him with bandages. "That was cool and all, how you removed the poison, but you're gonna bleed to death if you lose any more blood."

Naruto's face drained of colour. Kakashi walked over as well.

"Good idea to stop the bleeding now," he said in a sing-song voice.

"Ah! No, no, no! I'm too young for it to all end like this! No, no, no!"

"Show me your hand, Naruto. Akira, get ready to bandage."

"Right, sensei!" Akira said, unrolling the medical fabric.

"Naruto, you've got a self-abusive personality!" Sakura said sternly. "It's called masochism!"

Kakashi held Naruto's hand in place, but as Akira was about to put a bandage on his wound, she noticed that his cut was fusing back together with a flicker of orange light. She didn't need to look at him to know that Kakashi was looking at it too. He was already starting to heal? How could that be?

"Uh, guys? You have really serious looks on your faces, you're scaring me... Am I going to be okay?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, you should be fine. Akira?"

"Right."

Akira wrapped his hand in bandages after wiping all the blood off, her mind racing. He was healing up already - it looked like a fire was sealing the wound shut. Fire. Suddenly she remembered stories from her family. She looked up at Kakashi-sensei and wondered, as they kept walking to the Land of Waves, if he was thinking the same thing too... Could it be the Nine-Tailed Fox? The cold fog wrapped around Tazuna and the five ninja like a blanket, the water of the ocean and the mountains that laid beyond, hiding, looming out at them in their whitened haze at the last minute of images from some half forgotten dream. Sakura and Naruto were shivering, But Akira was content with the vapourized water surrouding her. She held her hand out in front of her and watched it become partially obscured. She imagined herself learning a jutsu like this then dissipating it with a simple wave of her hand, eyes twinkling.

Soon, the man guiding the boat across the ocean brought them right beside the bridge Tazuna was building. Akira's eyes widened: through the thick fog, she could see it was immense, almost as tall as the walls that protected Konoha. Her admiration of the bridge was halted by Naruto however, who decided it was a great idea to shout while they were traveling through dense fog to avoid getting jumped. Akira nearly jumped on top of him and covered his mouth with her hand, shushing him instantly.

"Shut it, Naruto," she warned in a low voice. "We're traveling under the cover of the mist, with the boat motor off for a reason."

Naruto visibly shrunk and Akira huffed, seating herself back down next to Kakashi.

"Mr. Tazuna," sensei said. "Before we reach the pier, I want to ask you something... The men who are after you, I need to know why. If you don't tell us, I'm afraid I'll have to end this mission when we drop you ashore."

Everyone was looking at him expectantly.

"It appears I have no choice but to tell you," Tazuna said. "Now, like you said, this is beyond the scope of our original mission. The one who seeks my life is a very short man who casts a long and deadly shadow... Gato."

"Huh? Gato - of Gato Transport?" Kakashi asked.

"He's a business man, everyone knows him," Akira said, confused. "Why does he want you?"

"He's a successful tycoon from a powerful business, that's true," Tazuna said. "But under the surface, he uses the same ruthless methods to take over businesses and nations. He sells drugs and contraband using gangs and ninja. It was one year ago when Gato first set his sight on the Land of Waves. He came to our island and used his wealth to take total control over our transport and shipping. Anyone who tried to stand in his way simply... disappeared." Akira's eyes widened. "In an island nation, a man that controls the sea, controls everything: finance, government, our very lives. But there's one thing he fears... The bridge. When it is complete, it will join us to the land and break his control." Tazuna looked up at the bridge. "I am the bridge builder."

"So that's it," Sakura said. "Since you're in charge of building the bridge, you're in this gangster's way!"

"Sasuke, that means those men we fought in the forest!" Akira gasped.

"They were hired by Gato," Sasuke finished.

All four Genin shared a meaningful look. For the first time, they were all on the same page. While personally, none of them fit together, Akira was glad to know that they came well together on a mission. Maybe this the team could work after all?

"I don't understand," Kakashi-sensei said. "If you knew he was dangerous, knew he would send ninja to eliminate you, why did yo hide that from us?"

"Because the Land of Waves is a small, impoverished nation. Even our nobles have little money. The people who are building the bridge can't afford to pay for an A or B-rank mission," Tazuna said. "If you end the mission when you drop me ashore, there will be no bridge: they'll assassinate me before I reach home."

Akira, Sakura and Naruto looked down, saddened.

"But, don't feel bad about that! Of course my sweet little grandson will be upset and cry - cry his little heart out!"

Their saddened looks changed to a deadpan look and looked at him, unimpressed. Was he really guilt-tripping them? This man was unbelievable...

"Oh, and my daughter with condemn the ninja of the Hidden Leaf, announcing you for blaming and abandoning her father and living her life in sorrow," Tazuna added, which made the Genin glare at him. "Oh, well. It's not your fault. Forget it."

All the ninja looked between each other aggravated, annoyed and tired, but they all knew they couldn't condemn a man to his death. Kakashi sighed and pinched the bridge of his mask-covered nose.

"Well, I guess we have no other choice," he said, shrugging a little. "We're going to keep guarding you."

"Oh! I'm very grateful!

Akira huffed and crossed her arms. Maybe this mission was going to be a pain, after all. Not to mention dangerous. They were D-rank Genin on an A or B-rank mission. This wasn't going to turn out all right... Akira could see it. She sighed and rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index finger. Something was definitely amiss.

The Land of Waves was a quaint village on the water. Rustic cabins were laid out together, a few feet above the water rushing underneath. There were boats calmly sailing around houses and children running around, jumping from their decks and into the cool water. Akira smiled without even noticing. Being surrounded by this much water would be, to some, a terrifying thing - especially if you didn't know how to swim. But the only thing that she didn't miss about Konoha right now, was the lack of large bodies of water. She loved rain, storms, large expanses of water she could lose herself in. They comforted her in some odd way... She didn't know why.

Akira and the rest of the group got out of the boat once they'd reached the pier. Tazuna thanked the boat driver who left, wishing them all good luck. They walked along the wooden pier for quite some time, as they escorted Tazuna home. There were gulls cawing up above and swooping down to cool off in the water and Akira couldn't help but stare around, mind blank but peaceful. However, that peace was crushed when she glanced at Kakashi's tense face. Even through his mask you could see he was worried. That put Akira on high alert for the rest of the walk.

As they reached a forest and had been walking through it for a while, Akira suddenly sensed something behind her. She turned around abruptly and scanned the area. Kakashi-sensei placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a meaningful look. Had he sensed something too? They continued walking until Naruto kept randomly throwing kunai at trees.

"Hm, it was just a mouse," Naruto said coolly.

"Naruto!" Akira and Sakura shouted.

"Naruto, those are kunai - they're dangerous!" Kakashi-sensei scolded.

"Stop trying to scare me, you little twerp!" Tazuna yelled.

"Hey, is someone hiding over there?" Naruto said, ignoring everyone. "No, they're over there!"

Suddenly, both Kakashi and Akira sensed something to their left, and at the same time, Naruto threw a kunai in that same direction.

"That's it, Naruto!" Sakura shouted, smacking him over the head.

"W-Why did you do that? Someone really is following us, I mean it!"

Akira stared at Naruto then at the place he'd thrown the kunai. Nothing seemed to be moving. If someone was there they had either moved or they were immobile. Kakashi walked over and Akira followed, curious, while Naruto and Sakura kept arguing - as usual. But behind the bushes, all there was was a terrified white rabbit.

"Naruto, look what you did!" Sakura shouted, walking up behind Akira and Kakashi-sensei.

"A-A bunny?" Naruto gasped. He went over and cradled it, apologizing. "Oh, I'm sorry little rabbit."

Akira rolled her eyes and went back to the road where Kakashi, Sasuke and Tazuna were. As usual, Sasuke rolled his eyes at Sakura and Naruto and he turned away to stand near Tazuna. Kakashi still seemed to be thinking.

"What're you thinking sensei?"

"That rabbit..." he said quietly.

"What about it? It's just a rabbit," Akira said, equally as quiet. Though she wondered why Kakashi was whispering. "If Naruto had a better aim it would have been a kebab but... that's not what you're thinking about."

"It's a snow rabbit."

Akira frowned. Snow rabbits were only white when there was less sun, like in the winter of fall.

"But it's white."

"Which means," Kakashi said quietly, testing his student.

"Uh... it was brought up inside?" Akira guessed. She gasped. "For a replacement technique!"

"They're already here."

"I knew I sensed something back there!"

"You do seem to have an affinity for sensory, Akira," Kakashi said. "Try something for me: pretend to adjust your sandal and touch your hand to the ground - concentrate your mind on any form of chakra nearby."

Akira nodded, determined, as Tazuna was complaining about the stupid rabbit. The girl hoped that the commotion next to them drowned out their voices, disguising whatever they were saying from the ninja that was hidden somewhere near. Akira crouched down and pretended to fiddle with her sandal, but placed the palm of her other hand on the ground. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Soon, Akira could hear nothing but the sound of her own breathing. When she opened her eyes, everything was black except for the glowing blue veins of chakra of the people surrounding her. She stood up and looked up. Akira was standing in front of Kakashi and she could see the pale yellow chakra running through him. However, where his covered eye would be, his chakra was a bright red. Akira frowned, but then she shook her head. There was no time for this. She looked around and spotted Naruto's pale blue chakra, Sasuke's purple chakra, even Sakura's pale green energy. Tazuna's chakra signature was faint and white since he wasn't a shinobi, but there was bright white chakra in the three above where the rabbit once was.

Akira snapped out of it and when her eyes opened again, she was still crouching on the ground. Momentarily confused about her out of body experience, she stayed down, calming her breathing. Eventually, she stood up and looked at Kakashi, lingering on his covered eye for a split second.

"In the tree above the rabbit," Akira whispered.

"Everyone get down!" Kakashi-sensei yelled.

Just as everyone dropped to the ground a giant broadsword came flying at them, narrowly missing Naruto's head. It embedded itself in a nearby tree and seconds later, a very tall and noticeably muscular man was standing on it's handle. He was pale and had short and spiky black hair, and as he turned around to glare at all of them, Akira noticed his piercing brown eyes and the bandages covering the lower half of his face. Sideways on his forehead, was the bandanna for the Village Hidden in the Mist. For some reason he was shirtless, wearing vertically striped pants and matching arm and leg warmers. Akira glared at him as she stood back up. Just looking at him she could tell he was an Elite ninja, a Jōnin like Kakashi-sensei.

"Well, well," Kakashi said, taking a step forward. "If it isn't Zabuza Momochi, rogue ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist."

Akira gulped and almost took a step back, but that showed fear. He could smell fear. Zabuza Momochi was famous.

"The Demon of the Hidden Mist," Akira whispered, voice shaky.

Naruto took a few steps forward, fully intending on fighting the man, but Kakashi jabbed his hand in front of him, barring his passage.

"You're in the way. Get back," he said sternly.

"But why!?" Naruto complained.

"He's not like those other ninja. He's in a whole other league. If he's our opponent, I'll need this." Kakashi's hand went up to his bandanna and he was preparing to reveal his eye. Akira didn't look away from him, beyond curious what could shown red chakra like that. "This could be treacherous."

"Kakashi of the Sharingan eye..." Zabuza said lowly, his voice almost like a growl.

Akira gasped. The Sharingan? How could Kakashi have a Sharingan eye? It wasn't possible. Even Sasuke looked surprised.

"It's too bad, but you'll have to hand over the old man," Zabuza continued.

Kakashi and Zabuza stared at each other for a long time, each second that passed getting more and more tense. But no one dared to move. If any of them moved, Zabuza would attack. And if Zabuza moved, then Kakashi would strike.

"Now, quick! Manji formation!" Kakashi shouted. "Protect the bridge builder, and stay out of this fight!"

"Sensei?" Akira said, worried.

"I thought you teamwork, now it's time to use it."

Akira watched Kakashi-sensei as he lifted up his bandanna to reveal his closed left eye, a giant scar vertically crossing it. Her eyes widened, and she gasped when he eye opened. Zabuza was right: right where you would expect a dark grey eye to be, there was a fully developed Sharingan, three tomoe visible.

"Well, guess I get to see the Sharingan in action," Zabuza said. "This is an honour."

"Sharingan, Sharingan!" Naruto complained. "Everyone keeps saying, but what the hell is it?"

"Sharingan..." Sasuke said, voice strained. "A rare power. It resides in the eyes. The user of this visual jutsu, or dōjutsu, can instantly see and comprehend any genjutsu, taijutsu or ninjutsu, and reflect the attack back on the attacker. The Sharingan is a rare, special form of dōjutsu. However, there's more to the Sharingan than that... a lot more."

Sasuke glanced at his sister who, out of fear or nervousness, looked away from her brother and back at Zabuza.

"You got it right, boy," Zabuza said. "But you only scratched the surface. The Sharingan can analyze the opponent's technique and then... copy it to the smallest detail."

Suddenly, a mist began to form around them and Akira rapidly unsheathed her swords, backing up so that she was in her position for the Manji formation Kakashi ordered.

"As for you, Jōnin, in the assassination unit of the Hidden Mist, we had a standing order to destroy you on sight," Zabuza said, slowly disappearing into the mist. "Your profile was in our bingo book. It called you the man who had copied a thousand jutsu: Kakashi the Copy Ninja."

'What?' Akira thought. 'The Sharingan is a rare trait that only appears in a few members of the Uchiha clan. My clan. Could Kakashi-sensei really be...'

Akira was brought out of her thoughts when Zabuza spoke again.

"Now, enough talking. I need to exterminate the old man."

As Zabuza said this, the Genin got into position. Akira bent her knees and pointed one of her swords forward with a jab so that it unfolded into one of her tachi. The other sword was pointed upward with a swing so it unfolded, ready to strike down. Kakashi-sensei was in front of them, a last barrier between Zabuza and Tazuna.

"So, I'll have to eliminate you first, Kakashi... So be it," Zabuza said.

He suddenly jumped and grabbed his sword, but before he could touch the ground he was gone. Akira tightened the grip on her sword and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him reappear much further, over the water and surrounded by a swirling mist. Akira couldn't help but be fascinated by his control over water, but that just showed how dangerous he must be. One of his hands pointed the sky, two fingers pointed, and his other hand was in the same position over his face.

"He's building up a huge amount of chakra," Kakashi clarified for his students.

"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!" Zabuza said.

Suddenly, Zabuza disappeared into the thick mist, invisible to Akira. 'I don't like this, not one bit,' she thought.

"He's gone?" Akira said, surprised.

Kakashi went closer to the water.

"Sensei!" Sakura warned.

"He'll come after me first," Kakashi-sensei, said.

"But, who is he?"

"Zabuza Momochi. The ex-leader of the Hidden Mist's assassination unit. He's a master of the silent killing technique."

"S-Silent?" Naruto said, weary.

"As the name suggests, it happens in an instant, without sound or warning of any kind," Kakashi explained. "It's so fast you pass from this life without realising what has happened. The Sharingan cannot fully neutralize it, so don't lower your guard. Well, if we fail, all we lose is our lives..."

"Sensei!" Akira groaned.

"Guys, the mist is getting thicker!" Naruto shouted.

Indeed it was. And as if things couldn't get any worse, the mist began enveloping Kakashi-sensei until, much to everyone's displeasure, he vanished into it as well...


	11. The Masked Stranger

The trees were veiled in the densest of mists, their trunks only shadows beyond the airborne water. Akira's dark blue eyes immediately shut tight after losing sight of Kakashi-sensei, hoping that her hearing would help her in this dense disadvantage. But it wasn't. Akira couldn't hear anything. It was driving her mad. Her hands gripped her swords tighter; anything tangible was going to keep her sane. She didn't want to reach that point again, the state she got into when she woke up from her nightmares. Akira didn't want her brain to shut down, her hands to get clammy or for her body to glisten in a cold sweat. She didn't want her eyes to be as wide as saucers, showing her fear, showing the Sharingan.

Suddenly, Akira opened her eyes as there was an explosion-like sound ahead of her. She was about to swing her sword down so that they were both pointing forward, but she relaxed when she saw it was only Kakashi-sensei clearing the mist around him with a jutsu. They could see him again, and relief washed over Akira. However, her nerves weren't settled. Akira looked at her sensei, and it was almost as if she could see the murderous aura around him. He was prepared to kill and that sent a chill down her spine. She hadn't seen someone with such ill intent in so long... Since Itachi.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi suddenly yelled.

Akira looked over towards her brother. He was pale, paler than usual and not in the good way. His eyes were wide, his skin was glistening with a cold sweat. He was in the state Akira didn't want to be in. She noticed the kunai in his hand, pointing at his own abdomen.

"Calm down," sensei continued. "I'll protect you with my life. All of you. I will not allow my comrades to die."

Kakashi turned his head around. Akira could tell he was smiling, trying to reassure the Genin behind him.

"Trust me."

Akira took a deep breath and nodded stiffly. Just then, Zabuza's voice rang in her ears:

"I wouldn't be so sure..."

Suddenly, there was a light gust of wind and Akira gasped, sensing something behind her. Without hesitation, Akira spun on the spot, the sword pointing forwards spinning with her. When she had turned a full 180 degrees, she was faced with Zabuza, who had stopped her blade with his hand. He smirked at her, but she smirked back. She threw her other sword into a nearby tree and, still holding the other, performed a simple hand seal easily accomplished with a free and an occupied hand.

"Lightning Blade Jutsu!" she yelled.

As Sakura and Naruto gasped, the blade of Akira's sword became blue and electrified, zapping Zabuza's hand and consequently his whole body. However, instead of Zabuza being electrified, he melted into water.

"It was just a water clone, sensei!" Akira shouted.

"You've got a feisty student, Copy Ninja," Zabuza growled, suddenly behind Kakashi. "And she cut my hand too. Maybe I should get rid of her first, instead of you."

Akira pulled her swords out the tree and spun them once in hand. She began to run at Zabuza again, but Sasuke held her back. For once he wasn't the one blindly going in for the kill.

Zabuza swung his broadsword, with a war cry and cut Kakashi in half. In took only seconds for Kakashi to turn into a puddle of water himself. Akira's eyes grew wide. Even in the thick mist, Kakashi's Sharingan eye was able to detect and copy Zabuza's Water Clone Jutsu. Now it was Kakashi's turn to be behind the Hidden Mist ninja. He put a kunai to Zabuza's throat.

"Don't move," Kakashi-sensei demanded. "Now it's over. You're finished."

Naruto and Sakura cheered, but they were cut short when Zabuza let out a low and dangerous laugh.

"Finished?" Zabuza said. "You really don't get it, do you? Your technique is nothing but a crass imitation. I'll never be defeated by a copy-cat ninja like you!" He laughed again. "You are full of surprises, though. You'd already made you Water Clone Jutsu when you made your little speech. You had your clone say those things to draw my attention, while you hid in the mist, waiting for me to make my move. Nice try..."

"Sensei, behind you!" Akira yelled, just as another Zabuza appeared behind Kakashi.

Kakashi stabbed the Zabuza in front of him which turned into a puddle the second it was hit. Kakashi turned around and his Sharingan detected a swing from the broadsword so he ducked and dodged it in time. However, when the sword embedded itself in the ground, Zabuza pushed up against it and kicked Kakashi so hard he flew into the water. Zabuza followed him in.

"Sensei!" Naruto yelled.

"His water jutsu are good, but so is his taijusu," Akira said, staring at the place Kakashi fell. Suddenly, his head popped back up, but no one had time to tell him Zabuza was in there with him. Zabuza flew out of the water producing numerous hand signs.

"Water Prison Jutsu!"

In a matter of seconds, Kakashi-sensei was trapped in a ball of water as strong as steel. Akira tensed; Kakashi couldn't help them anymore. They had to get him out of there.

"I'll deal with you later," Zabuza told Kakashi. "But first... I have to eliminate your little friends."

Zabuza made a one-handed sign and produced a water clone of himself that rose slowly and ominously out of the water.

"You think wearing a headband makes you a ninja? When you've hovered between life and death so many times it doesn't phase you, then you may be called a ninja. When you've become so deadly that your profile is in my bingo book, then you may earn the title of ninja. But to call upstarts like you, ninja... is a joke!"

Suddenly, the Zabuza clone disappeared into the mist again. Akira was on high alert. She cursed herself for not strengthening her sensory techniques. If she had, maybe she'd be able to sense Zabuza's clones as well. Just then, Naruto went flying back, his headband no longer on his forehead.

"You're just brats!"

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, sounding pained and scared.

"Listen! Get the bridge builder and run!" Kakashi said, voice distorted from the water prison. "You can't win this fight. He's using all his power to keep me in this prison, so he can only fight you with his water clone. But the clone can't go far from his real body. If you get away from him, he can't follow. Now, run!"

"Sure, that's the smart thing to do," Akira sighed looking down, "but..."

Memories from the bell test came flooding her mind. She remembered Kakashi-sensei talking about the enemy taking hostages, impossible decisions to make... Lives on the line. She glanced at Sasuke and smirked, gripping her swords tighter. The decision was clear to her.

Sasuke ran forward throwing shuriken at him before trying to attack him from above, but he was sent back violently. Naruto ran up to him as well, but he was only retrieving his headband. With a newfound confidence he erected a plan.

"What are you doing? Run!" Kakashi said. "The fight was over the moment I got caught!"

"People who leave their friends behind are worse than scum, sensei."

Kakashi's eyes widened and Akira shrugged, smirking. But her little moment was interrupted when the Zabuza clone tackled Sasuke, punching him the stomach and pinning him to the ground. He stomped on his stomach - Sasuke coughed up blood. Shaking with anger, Akira watched as Naruto rapidly performed the Shadow Clone jutsu. Her chest was heaving, breathing hard and heavy. When she looked up at the Zabuza clone, all she could see was red.

"Inazuma!" Akira bellowed.1

Suddenly, as Akira got into her stance, the tachi blades she was firmly holding, knuckles turning white, began to run with a current of yellow electricity, sparking and buzzing like a thousand fireflies in the dead of night. Then all the Naruto clones, as well as himself attacked and surrounded the Zabuza clone. As expected, the water clone pushed away all the Narutos, but as he slid back, he threw Sasuke a large unfoldable shuriken.

"So that was your plan?" Sasuke smirked. He glanced at his sister and she smiled at him and at Naruto. "Demon Wind Shuriken: Windmill of Shadows!"

"A shuriken?" the Zabuza clone chuckled. "You'll never get me with that."

Sasuke jumped high into the air and threw it at the Zabuza clone, but it deviated just before it hit him, heading straight for the real Zabuza. As it arrived, he caught it with ease and laughed, but the look of surprise on his face when he saw another shuriken coming was priceless. There were two shuriken, and this one had been hidden in the shadow of the other. Akira ran closer and jumped high into the air. She slashed her sword in the direction of the shuriken, charging it with the yellow lightning that was emanating from her tachi. As it was about to hit him, Zabuza jumped over it. But the shuriken suddenly disappeared and turned into Akira, blades still charged with the bright yellow lightning. Zabuza's eyes went wide. The girl shot a bolt of electricity at Zabuza. To dodge it, Zabuza removed his hand from the water prison holding Kakashi-sensei, but he was still hit a little, the burn on his face quite obvious. The bolt of lightning then continued on and hit the clone, destroying it in an instant. Zabuza turned around, the anger terrifyingly present in his eyes, and spinning the large shuriken in his hand as Akira, nearly defenseless, fell slowly closer towards the water he was so adept at using. Zabuza was about to throw the shuriken at her, but Kakashi, finally free, stopped the shuriken with the back of his hand, embedding the blade in it but ultimately stopping Zabuza from throwing it at Akira.

After returning to the surface of water when she fell in, her hair now untied and messy, she gazed at the edge of the lake. Kakashi was staring murderously at Zabuza, his Sharingan eye analyzing every micro-movement he made.

"All of you... that was an excellent plan," Kakashi said. "You've really grown, haven't you?"

"I only made one clone and I ran to Naruto, transforming into the second shuriken when his clones were dog-piling Zabuza. All he had to do was give the shuriken to Sasuke - he'd recognize right away that it was a clone and pull out his own shuriken. Then there were two shuriken - one was real, one was me. Of course, we all knew we couldn't fight Zabuza himself, we just wanted to get you out of that water prison, sensei." Akira laughed. "I didn't know his clone would mess up, though. That's a bonus!"

"Don't gloat, you just lucked out," Sasuke said, smiling a little.

"So your whole thing was just a fluke!" Tazuna yelled.

"You can call it a fluke, but their teamwork was flawless," Sakura said. "They knew what to do even without talking about it."

"I got distracted and lost my grip on the water prison," Zabuza scoffed.

"Don't flatter yourself," Kakashi said dangerously. "You weren't distracted, you were forced to let go."

Zabuza glared at Kakashi, the shuriken still planted in his hand.

"Your technique worked on me once, it won't work again," Kakashi said. "So, what's it gonna be?"

"Sakura, Naruto, you know what to do," Sasuke said.

While Akira was in the water and Kakashi was having a silent stand-off with Zabuza, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura stood protectively in front of Tazuna in case the Hidden Mist Jōnin decided to attack again. Instead, Zabuza closed the shuriken until all four blades were digging into Kakashi's hand. He kept pushing down harder and harder until Kakashi swung his arm and threw the shuriken into the lake. Both of them flew back, staring at each other. But Kakashi-sensei had the Sharingan - in open water like this, he could see anything Zabuza did. Just then, Zabuza began making what was more than a dozen different hand signs and Kakashi, with the Sharingan, copied them at the same time Zabuza was performing it. Suddenly, two giant water dragons slithered out of the lake between them, intertwining themselves and attacking each other.

Akira screamed as a large wave swept her off and under the water. She struggled; the water was heavy, thick, it was laden with chakra and it made it harder to swim through it. Akira was just about to reach the surface when a large gush of water crashed down on top of her and sent her further down into the lake. Luckily, she'd reached far enough for her feet to touch the ground and so she pushed herself out of the water, coughing and sputtering water when her head broken the surface.

The water was calm on the surface as Zabuza and Kakashi were standing apart, circling each other as they easily walked on the water. Both men stopped at the same time and stared at each other. From where Akira was swimming she could clearly see the Sharingan in Kakashi's eye. Zabuza made another movement and Kakashi copied him at the same time he was doing it. Akira frowned. 'The Sharingan copies and replicates... it doesn't usually mimic, like a mirror image,' she thought.

"Going to do next?" Kakashi said.

Akira's eyes widened. Was he reading his mind? Kakashi stared at him, the Sharingan focused on every minute detail of Zabuza's movements, all the while making Zabuza's exact movement at the exact same time.

"It makes you furious, doesn't it?" Kakashi taunted.

"Ha! All you're doing is copying me, like a monkey," Zabuza scoffed.

"You can't beat me with cheap tricks!" they said in unison. "I'll crush you!"

Zabuza growled while everyone (save Kakashi) gasped. Kakashi had mastered the Sharingan just like an Uchiha would. He was using all of its abilities perfectly. He even managed to use it's genjutsu to distract Zabuza and predict, using the first few hand signs he'd made, the jutsu he was about to perform and use it on him. Kakashi created a vortex of water that swallowed Zabuza and created another wave - this time it sent Akira to shore where Sasuke pulled her out and ushered her back to Tazuna, Sakura and Naruto. But Zabuza was violently washed up against a tree and Kakashi added to his pain by throwing half a dozen kunai into his arms and legs.

"It's over," Kakashi-sensei said. He looked over at his students. "Are you all okay?"

"C-Cold!" Akira stuttered. "B-But alive."

"Come here," Sasuke said lazily, and he took his sister's hands in his.

"You're unusually warm, Sasuke."

"It's my nature type."

"Oh, right, I forgot," Akira laughed.

Sasuke didn't let go of one of her hands when she was warmed up. His sister smiled up at him. Sometimes he did things like this and Akira remembered that she had an amazing brother.

"How?" Zabuza said, his voice strained. "Can you... see into the future?"

"Yes," Kakashi said. "This is your last battle... ever."

But just as Kakashi-sensei removed a kunai from his pocket, most likely to kill Zabuza, two sharp needles flew out of nowhere and stabbed Zabuza in the neck. Akira gasped and looked in the direction from where the needles came from. Standing in a nearby tree was a slender figure. Their mask prevented Akira from telling whether it was a boy or a girl. They were wearing a long, brown and pinstriped outfit that stopped at the knees, covered in a haori the same colour as Akira's happi. Most of their long hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks of hair fell loose framing their face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends. The wavy etching on the mask's forehead suggest that, just like Zabuza, they were from the Village Hidden in the Mist.

"You were right," the figure said. "It was his last fight."

Kakashi went over to Zabuza and pressed two fingers to his neck, checking his pulse.

"No vital signs," he sighed and looked over at the masked figure.

"Thank you," they said with a bow. "I've been tracking Zabuza for a long time, waiting for the chance to finally take him down."

"From your mask, I assume you're a tracker ninja from the Villaga Hidden in the Mist."

"Impressive. You are well informed."

"A tracker ninja!" Naruto said, taking a fighting stance.

"Naruto, you don't even know what that is!" Sakura complained. "You missed the lesson on it, as usual. Tracker ninja have a special role. Try coming to class sometime."

"When a rogue ninja breaks away from his village, he carries all sorts of secrets with him," Akira continued. "Trackers are specially trained to hunt down these ninja and eliminate them. That way, the secrets of their people remain secret."

"That's correct," the masked ninja said. "I'm a member of the elite tracking unit from the Village Hidden in the Mist. It was my duty to track Zabuza."

An elite tracker ninja? Judgin from their voice and height, Akira didn't think they were much older than she was. And yet, they were already an elite ninja. Akira's fists clenched. How could she have worked so hard, like Sasuke, like Naruto, and only be a Genin? She was an Uchiha - not just anybody. Why was this kid so much better than her? It seemed that Naruto shared her thoughts as he charged at the figure, staring angrily between them and Zabuza from the foot of the tree.

"What is this? Who do you think you are?" Naruto yelled. The figure said nothing. "Did you hear me?"

"Easy Naruto," Kakashi eased. "He's not our enemy."

"That's not the point! Did you see what he did, just like that? Zabuza was huge and powerful like some kind of monster! And this kid, who's no bigger than me, he brought down Zabuza with one move! Like it was nothing! I mean... what does that make us? We're just fumbling around. We don't know anything! How can I accept that!?"

"Well, even if you don't accept it... Still, it did happen, Naruto," Kakashi said, and he dropped his hand on Naruto's head. "In this world there are kids that are younger than you, and yet... stronger than me."

Akira looked up at the tracker ninja and nearly glared, but she contented herself with clenching her fists and her jaw, heading over near Kakashi to where Zabuza and her swords had washed up. She flicked the water off them and sheathed her blades just as the masked figured appeared beside Zabuza. They lifted him up with ease.

"Your struggle is over for now," the ninja said. "I must deal with the remains. There are many secrets in this body and they must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. Please excuse me."

The Hidden Mist tracker then suddenly disappeared in a gust of wind, leaving all the genin shocked and irritated. Naruto ran to the spot he'd vanished from just as Kakashi covered his Sharingan with his bandanna. Akira gasped - Naruto began hitting the ground in frustration. She over to him and took his hands, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Let it go, Naruto," she said gently. "Save your anger for the next fight. Let's get Tazuna home, all right?"

Naruto nodded despite himself and stood, holding his hand out for Akira. But she didn't take it. Instead, she ran straight for Kakashi-sensei who was falling to the ground.

"Sensei!"

* * *

1: Inazuma can be translated to "lightning bug"


	12. Chakra Control

Akira and the others didn't spend much time away from Kakashi-sensei after he'd collapsed. Them and Tazuna managed to carry him to his house in a few hours and he'd been out cold ever since; the Sharingan put a lot more stress on him than it would an Uchiha since the kekkei genkai wasn't natural to his body. He probably used more chakra in the last few days then he had in years. How used his Sharingan was extraordinary, but if it put that much strain on him, was it even worth it?

When Akira wasn't spending her time staring at her shoes while keeping her sleeping sensei company, she was just outside Tazuna's house, her bare feet hanging over the edge of the dock, toes dipped in the water. Sometimes she'd lay down on her side and run her fingers through the cool water, thinking about everything and nothing. Oftentimes, Akira would be thinking about how she could use water to enhance her lightning techniques, but it would take a while to learn a whole new nature type even though they went hand in hand. Today was one of the days where she was lying down, fingers trailing the surface of the water. She watched her index finger glide over the liquid smoothly - there was something soothing about that movement. Suddenly, she felt a tickle on her finger and retracted it from the water immediately. She sat up and looked down into the water, but she saw nothing but her own reflection. Akira put her finger back over the water, making the same swirling pattern. The same sensation returned.

"Hey, Akira, Kakashi-sensei is awake!" Naruto said, interrupting her.

Akira smiled widely and stood up, unaware of the small trail of water that followed her finger when she took it away. She and Naruto nearly ran to the room Kakashi was staying in. He was lying down in bed as usual, but his eyes (eye) were open and he was looking at the small crowd gathering around him.

"Listen, Sensei," Akira said, "your Sharingan is amazing and all, but if it puts that much strain on you, maybe it's not worth it."

"Sorry," he apologized gently, most likely smiling a little under his mask.

"Well, you did take down one of the most powerful ninja, so we'll be safe for a while," Tazuna said.

"Yeah, but you know that kid with the mask? What about him?" Sakura asked.

"He's from the elite tracking unit in of the Village Hidden in the Mist. Those masks are only worn by the most elite shinobi," Kakashi said.

"What do they do?"

"The Anbu Black Ops, also known as the Inferno Squad, destroy all evidence of a rogue ninja's corpse. The shinobi's body contains many secrets: ninjutsu, chakra, special medicines used on his body; these are the secrets of his village. If his enemy finds them, his people will be in grave danger," Kakashi explained. "For example, if I were to die at the hands of an enemy, he would try and analyze my Sharingan. In the worst case, my entire jutsu could be stolen and used against our village. It is the sacred duty of the shinobi trackers to prevent this, to keep the village's secrets safe. If a ninja betrays his village, the trackers hunt him down, eliminate him and destroy any evidence forever. That's their specialty."

Kakashi sopped talking and stared off for a while.

"Sensei, are you all right?" Akira asked.

"Hm?" Kakashi said, snapping out of his daze. "Oh, yeah... To finish what I was saying: tracker ninja deal with the body immediately, on the spot, so there's no room for error."

"Is that really important?" Sakura asked.

"Think about it: do you remember what that tracker did with Zabuza's body?"

"We don't know what he did. I guess he took it away somewhere."

"Exactly. But why? He should have worked with Zabuza right there, as quickly as possible." Kakashi sait up and faced his students. "Think of the weapons he used for the take down... Do you remember what they were?"

"Throwing needles," Sasuke and his sister said simultaneously, their eyes widening. "No way!"

"Exactly. None of it adds up... Zabuza is most likely still alive."

Tazuna, Sakura and Naruto screeched.

"But we saw his body! Believe it!" Naruto yelled.

"Kakashi-sensei you checked him yourself!" Sakura shouted. "You said that his heart stopped!"

"His heart did stop, but that was just a temporary state."

"Pressure points!" Akira exclaimed. "I remember it from class! The neck doesn't have any muscle mass, it's easier to get to the pressure points!"

"Precisely. Those two factors - taking Zabuza away and using needles as a kill tool - tell me that the tracker wasn't trying to kill Zabuza, he was trying to save him."

"Come on, you're overthinking this!" Tazuna said.

"Even if he is, when encountering suspicion of any kind, a ninja must prepare quickly," Akira said, unsure herself about Zabuza's current state. "Hesitation leads to disaster. Every shinobi knows this saying."

Akira heard someone chuckle. She looked over at Naruto. He actually looked happy to hear that Zabuza might still be alive. That meant he had another shot at him. Akira smirked, also a little satisfied.

"Akira, you said prepare quickly - but how can we do that when Kakashi-sensei can barely move?" Sakura said.

She had a point. Using a Sharingan when you didn't earn it yourself used a lot more chakra than it would if, let's say, Sasuke or Akira or any other Uchiha did. However, Kakashi only laughed.

"I can still train you," he said.

"Hold on! A little last minute training won't help us get strong enough to go against Zabuza!" Sakura protested. "You could barely defeat him, even with your Sharingan! We have to be reasonable about this!"

"Sakura, why was I able to stop Zabuza? Because you all helped me. You've grown!"

"Yeah, right!"

Everyone turned towards the sound of the unknown voice. There was a young boy staring at the ninja. He had spiky black hair topped with a striped blue and white hat. Between that and the high collared shirt underneath his green overalls, you could barely see his dispassionate face.

"Who are you?" Naruto shouted.

"Ah, Inari! Where've you been?" Tazuna exclaimed, welcoming the young boy in his arms.

"Welcome back, Grandpa!" Inari said.

"Inari that was very rude," Tazuna's daughter said, walking into the room. "These ninja helped your grandfather and brought him here safely!"

"It's okay, it's okay - I'm rude to them too!" Tazuna chuckled.

"Mom, don't you see? These people are gonna die! Gato and his men will find them and wipe them out!"

"What did you say, brat!?" Naruto yelled. "Listen up! You know what a super ninja is? Well, that's me only a lot better! But I'm gonna be Hokage! This Gato or Blato - whatever he's called; he's no match for a real hero like me!"

"Ha! There's no such thing as a hero," Inari scoffed. "You're just full of stupid ideas!"

"What did you say!?"

Naruto launched himself at the kid, but thankfully Sakura caught him before he could take more than a step towards him. Akira couldn't help but side with Naruto on this, however. Sure they might fail the mission and die a horrible death, but they couldn't just sit there and do nothing. Didn't this kid have any hope at all, left?

"Naruto calm down!" Sakura shouted.

"If you want to stay alive, you should go back where you came from,"Inara said, then left the room, slamming the sliding doors shut behind him.

While Sakura and Naruto were busy fighting, Akira and Sasuke couldn't help but stare at the spot the boy stood mere seconds ago. Akira doubted that Sasuke cared if the boy was okay or not; he probably only cared that he'd told them they'd fail and die. But no one said things like that without a reason, and Akira wondered what had happened to him for Inari to lash out at people like that.

Those thoughts were erased the second Kakashi-sensei rose from bed and dragged the students away for a training session in the woods nearby. It was peaceful and the sun was warm; a perfect day for some outdoor training. Akira only wondered what Kakashi would tell them to practice.

"All right. Training starts now," he said, standing before the four genin.

"Right!" Naruto said, excited.

"First, we will begin with a review of chakra: the basic source of a ninja's power. Understanding chakra is essential."

"We know that," Sasuke sighed.

"He's right! A long time ago we learned about, uh - catra," Naruto said.

"Chakra, Naruto," Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Go ahead, Akira."

"I'll explain it simply for you, Naruto," Akira said. "Chakra is the elemental life energy a ninja uses in jutsu - it's the source of all his power. Now, this energy has two forms: physical energy, which exists in all the cells of the entire body, all working together; and spiritual energy, the primal source of power which is intensified through training and experience. These two types of chakra must be brought out and put together in order to perform jutsu. Finally, hand signs focus and unleash the chakra."

"Right on all points," Kakashi said. "Iruka-sensei really did have some good students."

Akira smiled, but turned to glare when Sakura muttered, 'teacher's pet' to her.

"Huh? What's the big deal with all these complicated explanations?" Naruto complained. "The whole point is to learn the jutsu, isn't it?"

"Naruto's right for once," Sasuke said, much to everyone's surprise. "We're already using chakra energy in our jutsu."

"No! You've not mastered this power, you've barely scratched the surface!" Kakashi-sensei told the students. "

"What do you mean!?" Naruto said, getting impatient.

"Calm down and listen, Naruto," Akira hissed.

"It's just like Akira said, you have to draw on physical and spiritual energies, and then combine them within yourself. But, how do you do that?" Kakashi- sensei said. "Each jutsu requires different kinds of chakra, in different proportions. You must select and combine them in exactly the right way. Up to now, you've just guessed at the proportions, hoping they'd come out right. Even if you produce a lot of chakra, unless you can balance and control it, it's all worthless - the jutsu won't work at all, or it'll just be a joke. You waste so much energy that way, then you run out of chakra and you can't fight at all - you're just a target."

"Uh, so how do we change that?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.

"Train so hard your chakra control becomes second nature," Kakashi said. "To achieve this goal, you must be ready to put your life on the line!"

"You're joking right?" Akira asked, concerned. "He is joking, right?"

"What do we have to do?" Sakura asked, unsure.

The sensei laughed.

"Climb a tree."

"Climb a tree!?" the four students chorused, confused.

"That's right. There's just one rule: no hands."

"What? You're kidding," Sakura said, giving her sensei a deadpan look.

"Am I? Let's see..."

Kakashi-sensei put his hands together in a simple hand seal. Then, he began walking towards a tree until he put one foot up against it and started walking up its trunk as if it was nothing.

"He's actually climbing..." Naruto said, astounded.

"Straight up," Sakura added. "With only his feet!"

"Okay, now you're showing off, Sensei!" Akira shouted, when Kakashi was walking up-side down on a thick branch.

"Yeah, well, you get the idea," he said coolly. "Focus your chakra to the soles of your feet and use it to connect to the tree. This is one way to apply the power of chakra."

"Wait a minute! This is a nice trick, but how does it help us fight Zabuza?" Sakura asked, annoyed.

"It's the only way to fight him, Sakura. That's the entire goal of this training. First, you'll learn to draw a precise amount of chakra to a precise location of your body; this is difficult even for advanced ninja. This type of climbing requires a subtle mix of physical and spiritual energy, and the bottom of your feet is the most difficult place to focus chakra. Are you getting the picture?" Kakashi asked. "If you can master this, you'll be able to master any jutsu! Well, theoretically... The second point of this exercise is to learn how to maintain your chakra levels. When a ninja is focused in battle, it's even harder to maintain and control his chakra levels - a deadly mistake. To avoid this, maintaining chakra must become second nature, effortless."

Out of one of his pouches, Kakashi-sensei removed four kunai and threw them right in front of each student's feet. Akira's eyes widened at his aim.

"Use the kunai to mark the tree at the highest point you can climb without using your hands. Then, try to get past that mark the next time. At first, you'll need to run at the tree so your momentum can take you as high as possible... Until you get used to it. Ready?"

'This shouldn't be too hard; I've concentrated chakra in my hands before,' Akira thought, as she and the others placed themselves in front of a tree, ready to sprint. Akira grabbed the kunai that was thrown at her and placed her hands together to focus her chakra at the soles of her feet. Slowly, she could feel her chakra flow down through her legs and pool at her feet. When she was satisfied with the amount to first test with, she opened her eyes and looked at the tree, trying to maintain the physical and spiritual energy at her feet. Then she ran. And as she ran, Akira kept her breath steady, her strides even, and she pushed more chakra down to her feet when she felt it was slipping. However, when she did do that, her foot sank into the tree and she felt herself push off. Quickly, she marked the tree with the kunai she'd been thrown and parted from the tree. 'This is supposed to be easy,' Akira thought, cursing to herself. 'This can't be my first try.' And so, when she was just about to land on the ground, Akira focused more chakra into the sole of her feet and, a split second after she landed, Akira sprinted back up again without a moment to lose. This time, she didn't feel the chakra fade as she ran up the tree. Moments later... she'd reached the top.


	13. The Needs of the Many

The view from this high up was amazing. If only her father could see her now, on top of the world, the wind flowing through Akira's raven black hair. Her indigo blue eyes scanned the treetops that she was sitting amongst, the sunlight trying desperately to peek through them and reach the ground below. She could see the birds flying through the sky, the clouds floating wistfully above her and she could also see Kakashi-sensei still hanging upside down on his tree branch.

"Sensei, isn't the blood all going to your head, by now?" she shouted at him.

"Concern yourself with the fact you made it to the top, Akira," Kakashi said with a chuckle.

"Oh, yeah, right, would you look at that."

"You didn't notice? How are you the smartest girl in the Academy?" Sakura said to her left. Akira turned and noticed Sakura was at the top of the tree as well.

"You made it too? That's amazing!" Akira smiled.

Sakura blinked stupidly for a few seconds before smiling back at Akira, taken aback by the compliment. Akira looked down and noticed that neither Sasuke or Naruto had made it up the tree. She wasn't surprised that the loose cannon Naruto hadn't done well, and it didn't come to her as a shock that Sasuke didn't get it right either; he tended to use more power than needed.

"Sakura! Akira!" Naruto called in surprise.

"Well, it looks like the female members of this team have the best chakra control!" Kakashi-sensei said in a teasing tone, towards the boys. "Well, done Akira, Sakura! Not only do you two understand chakra, you can control and maintain it as well."

Both girls smiled proudly at their sensei.

"Yeah! Way to go you two!" Naruto said happily from below. "I always knew you were awesome!"

"Whatever," Sasuke scoffed.

"Sasuke, be nice!" Akira said, throwing her shoe at her brother. He dodged it easily. "Hey, you weren't supposed to dodge it! Um, do you think you can throw it back up here, though?" she added meekly.

"No."

"Sasuke!"

Akira slid off the branch she was sitting on and let herself fall to the ground, landing more or less gracefully with only one shoe, and she smacked her brother on the way to grab the other, glaring at him in the process.

"We spoke about someone becoming Hokage one day, didn't we?" Kakashi said. "Seems like Sakura has got the best chance of that, wouldn't you say? As for the great Uchiha clan, well maybe Sasuke the great Avenger isn't as great as his little sister, after all."

"Shut up, Sensei, you talk too much!" Sakura shouted, pointing accusingly at him.

"Hey, respect your sensei, Sakura!" Akira shouted back, hopping on one foot to put her shoe back on.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at her and Akira glared, nostrils flaring. It wasn't like they didn't get along, because when it came to it they did, but everything seemed to be a competition with Sakura, just like everything was a competition when it came to Sasuke and Naruto.

"All right! First I'll match Sasuke!" Naruto suddenly called. "Then I'm going all the way to the top! Believe it!"

Sasuke and Naruto glared at each other before running at their respective trees. Akira sighed and got into position once again.

"You're practicing more?" Sakura asked, still up in her tree.

"Of course. Maybe it was just a fluke. And even if it wasn't, just because I did it once doesn't mean I can't improve more. Practicing is the only sure way to reach my goals, Sakura. I can't stop now," Akira said, concentrating her chakra to her feet. "I can never stop."

Akira then launched herself at the tree again and this time she made it up in one run, unlike the last time. She marked the tree and let herself fall back down, positioning herself to run right back up. Sakura sighed and jumped down as well, more or less ready to practice some more. But if Akira was doing it, then so should she. On Akira's third run up, she jumped and hung onto a tree branch, looking at Kakashi-sensei.

"Shouldn't you, I don't know, sit or something, Sensei? I mean, you are supposed to be resting, not hanging upside down."

"I'm fine, don't worry," Kakashi said.

"Yeah, well, I'm worrying. Sit down."

With that, Akira dropped herself to the ground again, and resumed her training. Every time she went up, she went up just a little bit slower, trying hard to be able to walk up the tree like her sensei. It was proving difficult. And even after hours and hours of training, all she could manage was a light jog. As Akira came back down for the hundredth time, or so it seemed, she decided to catch her breath and stop for a minute or two. Breathing heavily, Akira sat down cross-legged on the grassy ground, staring up at the tree she'd been running up all day. Sakura came to sit next to her.

"I don't understand how you all have so much energy," Sakura admitted. "I got it the first try, but I've been taking way more breaks than you guys."

"You might be better at controlling and maintaining chakra, Sakura, but I think the reason they're having so much trouble and I'm still going, is because we have too much of it."

"Too much what? Chakra?"

"Yeah. See, Naruto is a loose cannon and can't concentrate to save his life. It's even harder considering he has so much chakra flowing through him. Then there's Sasuke. My brother always overdoes it. He thinks power is better than self-control - that's why he's failing. He's using more chakra than he should. Also, Sasuke's also got a lot more chakra than most people, like me. It's an Uchiha thing," Akira explained.

"Then why can you control it and not him?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not angry."

Sakura looked at Akira, surprised and confused.

"Sasuke is angry at the world, constantly cursing it for what it did to him. He doesn't push people away intentionally, it just happens because he's more concentrated on his goals than anything else. Then there's me." Akira looked over at her brother. "I'm not like him, in case you hadn't noticed. I have friends, I go out, I smile, laugh, have fun... Yes, I'm angry at the world for what happened to my clan, but Sasuke hasn't been able to move on. It's all he thinks about. That anger blinds him. He has a goal, a motivation, but it isn't a healthy one. I think I can control my chakra better than him because I've found peace within myself that I doubt Sasuke will never have. And unless he can reroute his anger into this chakra control, I doubt he'll do much better than Naruto." Akira laughed and smiled. "Or maybe I'm reading into things too much and he just sucks."

"Hey, hey, hey - Akira, Sakura!"

Both girls turned around to find Naruto, a big lump on his head, crouching down and whispering to get their attention. It seemed he didn't want Sasuke to hear anything.

"You guys are good at this - how about some advice?" he said. "But please don't tell Sasuke I asked! Please, please!"

Akira smiled. He was catching on. Teamwork, asking for help. From now on, Naruto was only going to get stronger. How strong? Who knows. But judging that the Nine-Tails' chakra was inside him, Akira was guessing that he'd be stronger than Kakashi-sensei someday.

* * *

Guarding Tazuna wasn't nearly as fun or demanding as training, but if Kakashi-sensei said that she had to spend the rest of the morning with Sakura guarding the bridge builders, than that's what she'd do. There was no trees to keep her in the shade, and the breeze wasn't cold enough to cool her down. All Akira could do was sit and watch the builders, sweat building up on her forehead without even making any effort. She could only imagine what Tazuna and the others were going through. Sakura was even so bored that she yawned really loud. Akira snorted.

"You always this lazy?" Tazuna asked the girls. "Where's that weird blond kid, and the one with the attitude?"

"They're training - climbing trees without their hands," Akira said.

"To tough for you?"

"No, in fact we're the best!" Sakura boasted. "That's why the sensei asked us to guard you."

"You're joking?"

Sakura was instantly angered. It reminded her of Naruto somehow. Just then a worker approached Tazuna.

"Hey, Tazuna? I need to talk to you."

"Hm, what about?"

"Well, thing is, I've been thinking a lot about the bridge. And I decided that I'd pushed my luck far enough - I want out."

"Now you're going to quit on me just like that!? You're kidding!"

Akira and Sakura looked on, shocked.

"You know, I stayed on because of our friendship," the man said. "But I'm putting my life on the line every day I stay here - Gato and his thugs will show up eventually. When they do, they'll kill you and the bridge won't get finished anyway! It's a lost cause, Tazuna; why don't we stop while we can get out of this alive."

"No chance."

Akira and Sakura were surprised to say the least. Tazuna appeared lazy, not determined like this.

"This is our bridge. Our island is poor, and it will stay that way until this bridge connects us to the mainland! Commercer, trade and hope - that's what we're building here!"

"There's not going to be much hope if we're all dead."

"It's already noon. Let's break for lunch," Tazuna said, ignoring the man's comment. "Oh, and Giichi - don't bother coming back after lunch."

The entire afternoon was spent in tense silence after that. No one dared bring up the subject with Tazuna, or even asked if this Giichi was ever going to come back and work. Even Akira and Sakura didn't dare say anything, instead each taking their turn walking around the construction site for anything suspicious.

In the evening, when the sun was going down and the beautiful hues of lavender, rose and orange morphed from the bright blue, Tazuna lead the girls down the main street, on his way to buy ingredients for dinner. Akira had never seen a village so poor. She felt rich and out of place here. There were many beggars roaming around, thieves being called out and young children huddling together for safety. It broke Akira's heart. All of this had happened because of Gato, because too many people had either been killed or backed out of the bridge building process. Even the market Tazuna brought Akira and Sakura to was barer than bare, only a few vegetables here and there - no meat, no dairy. Akira's fists clenched; no matter what, that bridge was going to be built - even if it meant giving up her life. _'The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.'_


	14. Water

Sasuke and Naruto were competing all the way through dinner, even after training was long done for the day. One of them apparently had to eat more than other, because whoever ate more had a better chance of getting to the top of the tree first. Of course, that was ridiculous and Sakura and Akira didn't shy away from telling them they were idiots. Even Kakashi told them that eating too much wasn't good - though Akira was sure he also wanted to call them idiots. Akira even went so far as to smacking Sasuke upside the head. Sakura took care of Naruto.

However, the food craze died down when Sakura asked about the torn photograph hanging on the wall in the kitchen. This made Inari, who had been quiet during the entire meal, get up and leave, his mother following right after him. Tazuna explained that the person missing in the picture was Inari's step-father, Kaiza - he had been the father he never had. He was a simple fisherman with grand ideas. He helped the village, brought happiness and courage. But while he was defending the village and its people, Gato came. He beat him down and, in front of the entire village, Gato's goons executed Kaiza. Tazuna said that that had been the last day he'd seen Inari smile.

"He always said, that if you cared about something, you had to protect it," Tazuna said, shedding a few tears. "And he did. He saved the village on more than one occasion. But since that day, everyone has been too scared to do anything."

Akira stared at the torn picture. Inari looked so happy - why did this have to happen to him, to Kaiza? Neither of them deserved this. Akira believed in something too. She couldn't imagine what would happen if someone shot her down like that, if someone ruined the only thing she lived for. The girl looked down. What if someone told her she couldn't lead the Military Police? What if someone made sure she couldn't become the greatest ninja she could be? Akira couldn't imagine the pain she'd feel. Suddenly, Naruto stood up, legs weak from all the training. But he fell flat on his face.

"What're you doing down there, Naruto?" Sakura asked.

"He fell. Are you blind?" Akira retorted. The pink-haired girl glared. "You need a hand, Naruto?"

"No, I'm fine," he said simply, struggling to get back up.

"You should take the day off," Kakashi-sensei said. "No more training. You've used too much chakra. If you push any harder it could kill you."

"I'm gonna prove it!" Naruto said on his hands and knees, looking up at Tazuna.

"Prove what?" Akira asked.

"I'm gonna prove that it's true - that in this world there are heroes!" Naruto finally stood up, legs shaking. "I'm going out!"

"Naruto! Sensei is right - you're going to kill yourself if you use too much chakra!" Akira protested.

But it was too late. Naruto was already heading out the door, his destination and goal clear in mind. Akira sighed. 'He shouldn't be training this hard', she thought. 'It's too much for his first time doing this.'

"If we find him dead somewhere, you can tell him 'I told you so', Akira," Sasuke said, deadpan.

"Sasuke!" his sister shouted, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "If you trained that hard, you'd be in the same shape as him!"

"Are you saying I'm not training hard enough?"

"Maybe I am. What're you gonna do about it?"

Sasuke poked her forehead and stared her. Instantly, she sighed and slumped her shoulders, suddenly calmed down.

"That."

She pulled a face at him.

"Whatever."

* * *

Naruto wasn't in his room when Akira woke up early to check on him. It was possible he'd never came back after training, or he set out earlier than Akira had expected him to. She guessed the latter - waking up early didn't seem like Naruto's style, even if it was for training. Either way, Akira didn't go back to sleep after looking into the room Naruto was staying in. Instead, she went outside on the dock to look out at the ocean alone. However, Kakashi was already there, doing the same thing she'd planned.

"Good morning, Sensei."

Kakashi turned around, seemingly surprised by Akira's presence.

"You're up early," he said stated.

"I wanted to check up on Naruto, but he wasn't there," Akira said.

"He's been out there all night."

"And you know this because?"

"I was awake."

"Did you not sleep at all, Sensei?"

Kakashi let out a breathy laugh and looked over at Akira. Her dark blue eyes were wide with curiosity and concern. Her curiosity did get the best of her sometimes. Kakashi had only known her for a few months, but he knew that much. One day, that curiosity of hers was going to get her in trouble. The concern in Akira's eyes would be the end of her, if it ever came. Caring too much for someone was noble, but extremely dangerous. If Akira cared deeply about everyone, she would end up just like her...

"Sensei?" Akira asked.

Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts and smiled, placing a large hand on her head.

"Your hand is warm. Like Sasuke's."

"Like Sasuke's?"

"You'd figure his hands would be as cold as him, right?" Akira said. She chuckled a little. "He says it's because he has an affinity to the fire nature-type."

"What do you think?" Kakashi asked, removing his hand from Akira's head.

"My dad had an affinity to fire," Akira said, looking from Kakashi to the ocean. "His hands were cold."

"What about you?"

"My hands are always cold."

Kakashi laughed a little.

"I mean your nature-type."

"Oh!" Akira exclaimed, a little embarrassed. "I don't know. People keep telling me Lightning and Water, but I've never actually tested it. I just do lightning jutsu because they look cool. It's also something my family wasn't known for. I wanted to do something different."

"Sasuke is very good with his fire techniques," Kakashi-sensei admitted.

"He mastered the Great Firebal jutsu in a week." Akira sighed. "Got my father's approval right away."

"I'm guessing your father wasn't the nurturing type."

"God no," Akira laughed. "He was honourable and respected. He was stern, paid little attention to Sasuke and I, he couldn't be impressed by anything less than amazing, he rarely smiled... But I looked - look - up to him, anyway." Akira turned to her sensei. "What was your childhood like?"

"Boring, regular."

"I doubt that."

Kakashi looked at Akira who as still facing the ocean. A breeze blew her hair back. They stayed this way for a while until Akira bent down, putting her fingers over the water.

"What do you think will happen if I send chakra to my fingers, sensei?"

"Your fingers will walk on water," Kakashi said. Akira raised an eyebrow at him. "I doubt anything would happen, Akira. It's not like- "

"'It's not like' - what?" Akira asked. She followed Kakashi's gaze and gasped.

"It's not like you can control water," Kakashi continued, staring avidly at her hand. "Do that again."

Akira calmed herself and focused chakra into her hand like she did with her feet yesterday. Suddenly, the same tickle reached her fingers and the smallest stream of water rised out of the ocean to caress her fingertips.

"What the -"

"How much chakra are you using?" Kakashi asked rapidly.

"A lot," Akira said, feeling herself getting tired only after a minute of holding her chakra this way. "I'm already getting tired."

"Stop, stop."

Either anxious, or scared, or all of the above, Kakashi grabbed Akira's hand, and the connection between water and chakra was immediately broken. Akira heaved a great sigh and leaned back, unwillingly falling on her back and onto to the dock. How could lifting a little stream of water use up that much chakra? Better yet - how could she lift any water at all? Ninja weren't masters of the elements, they simply used them to amplify their already existing power.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that, that's not not normal," Akira said, breathing heavily and staring at the sunrise directly above her.

"What isn't normal?"

Akira bent her head further back to look behind her. Sasuke was standing there, his arms crossed.

"Your face."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed at his grinning sister, then returned inside to where Tsunami was making breakfast with Tazuna. 'When did they get there?' Akira thought. She sat back up, her smile vanished and replaced with concern. She looked at her sensei who was staring at her hands intently.

"Sensei?"

"Not a word, Akira," he said sternly, looking up at her face. "Not until I know more. And don't try that again unless I'm there to supervise."

Akira nodded and went inside with Kakashi just as breakfast was being served. Sasuke glanced at his sister suspiciously, seeing the nervousness clearly plastered on her face. However, Kakashi looked as cool as ever, so Akira tried hard to mimic him. Then she noticed he was picking at the metal plates on his gloves. He was worried too. Just then, a sleepy Sakura walked into the room, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She didn't notice anything wrong and her entrance provided Sasuke with a distraction.

"Good morning, everyone," she said, yawning.

"Naruto's not here?" Tazuna asked. "Looks like he was out all night."

"He's gone completely crazy," Sakura said, after taking a sip of tea. "He's out climbing trees in the dark. He could be dead by now. You know, from using up too much of his chakra."

"Well, I certainly hope he's okay," Tsunami said. "A child spending the night in the woods alone..."

"There's nothing to worry about," Kakashi-sensei said. Akira suddenly felt nervous again. "Naruto's a goofy kid, but he's also a full-fledged ninja. He can handle himself."

"Sakura's right," Sasuke said. Akira choked on her tea. "Naruto's such a loser, he's probably lying out there dead somewhere."

"That makes more sense than you agreeing with Sakura," Akira commented, earning her a glare from the pink-haired girl.

Without a word, Sasuke got up and headed towards the door.

"Sasuke? Where are you going?" Sakura asked.

"I'm going for a walk."

"But we just started eati- huh?"

Sasuke's plate was already empty. Akira looked at it confused.

"That was fast," Sakura said, looking at his plate too.

Akira frowned and stood up. She swayed a bit on her feet.

"Akira, are you okay?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Hey, where're you going!?"

But Akira was gone just as fast as her brother was. When she stepped out, she stared at the water nervously, but moved past the feeling and tried to catch up with Sasuke. Eventually she did, and she came up beside him, huffing and puffing.

"Why do you walk so fast?"

"Since when do you get tired from running this little?"

Akira's breath hitched in her throat, but she played it off well.

"Trained too much yesterday, didn't get much sleep, ate too fast 'cause of you!" Akira said, flicking her brother on the side of the head. She looked back to the front. "You worried about Naruto?"

"No."

"Then why're you heading towards the forest?"

"If he's weak, he makes the team weak."

"Right," Akira said skeptically, smiling.

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped almost playfully.

Akira spotted Naruto at the center of the glade they were at yesterday, sitting down cross legged as someone made their way towards her and Sasuke. Despite the pink kimono and the long hair, Akira knew it was a boy walking towards her. As she and her brother passed him, they stopped to stare at him. Akira's brows furrowed. Why did she react that way? Why was she doubting this person's innocence - he hadn't done anything that she knew of. Maybe it was just the concern about her hands stretching to this.

As Sasuke and Akira approached Naruto, he looked up, confused as to why Akira and Sasuke - mostly Sasuke - were coming to check up on him.

"I've seen a lot of weird things in my life before, but this definitely takes the cake!" Naruto said, glancing at Sasuke.

Suddenly, Sasuke punched Naruto on the head.

"Hey! What did you do that for!?"

"You twerp! Did you just forget about breakfast?" Sasuke said, his arms crossed and face still looking indifferent. "You're such a loser."

Akira couldn't help but display a soft smile. It was definitely Sasuke's type of concern, adding an insult into the mix. Even Naruto laughed a little, which made Sasuke glare at him, of course.

"Come on, kids," Akira said, pulling out two kunai from her pouch and holding them out to the two boys. "Let's get you up those trees, shall we?"

"All right!" Naruto cheered. "You gonna give us more tips, Akira?"

"I'll do it step by step with you if I have to."

Which is what Akira did, after all. And after a few hours, Kakashi-sensei and Sakura finally came to the glade to try and find them. Naruto was obviously the first to pop out. Suddenly, there was a kunai at Sakura's feet, just where Naruto had thrown it. Kakashi and Sakura both looked up to find Naruto lying down on a horizontal branch.

"Woah... Naruto can climb that high using his chakra, now?" Sakura said, a little dumbfounded. "That's great."

"Whaddaya think? High enough for you guys?" Naruto called. "I mean, it's a long way down, huh?"

He then stood up and wobbled, suddenly falling over. Sakura screamed and closed her eyes but when she didn't hear anything fall, she opened them up and saw Naruto hanging upside-down just like sensei had done.

"Just kidding!" he laughed. "You guys really fell for it!"

"We were worried about you, Naruto!" Sakura yelled, annoyed beyond belief.

"Why do I think this is going to end badly," Kakashi-sensei said.

Just then, Naruto's feet actually detached and the look of pure horror on Sakura and Kakashi's faces were priceless.

"You just had to push it, didn't you? Show off!" Sakura yelled.

Suddenly, Akira and Sasuke appeared out of nowhere and each grabbed one of Naruto's legs. This time it was them hanging upside-down. Sakura smiled and cheered them on - mostly Sasuke.

"You really are a total loser," Sasuke sighed.

"Ah! Sasuke, Akira!" Naruto shouted.

"You're welcome," Akira said, mildly annoyed.

Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"If I'm still sane by the time I'm done your training, it'll be a miracle..."


	15. Before the Battle

Sasuke, Naruto and Akira spent yet another entire day out in the sun, all the way into the cool evening, training amongst the trees again. Finally, all three of them had made it to the top and Akira managed to walk all the way up, not needing to run anymore. She was even with Sakura and the boys. It was a miracle they didn't collapse all the way home, Sasuke pretty much holding up his sister and Naruto the entire way back.

"What've you been up to?" Tazuna said as the three wandered in through the front door. "You look like something the cat dragged in."

"All three of us made it. We made it all the way to the top!" Naruto chuckled.

"Good. Now we move on," Kakashi-sensei said. "Starting tomorrow, you'll be bodyguards for Tazuna."

Suddenly, Naruto fell on his backside, dragging Sasuke and Akira down with him.

"You're such a loser!" Sasuke said, but it sounded more like teasing than anything else.

"Shut up, Sasuke!" Naruto laughed.

Dinner was served almost immediately. Akira was starving after the entire day of training but she wasn't going to pull a Naruto (or a Sasuke for that matter) and eat too much, too fast. Besides, she was thinking too much to eat that quickly. What had Kakashi-sensei planned for her tomorrow? Did it have anything to do with what she'd done the other day, with the water? Akira gulped. Her chakra was strong enough to pull water, but why was it that strong? Was it because she was an Uchiha? It couldn't be. Sasuke couldn't do anything like that, or at least she didn't think he could.

Akira was so lost in thought she was snapped out of her mind when Naruto began shouting at Inari. Or maybe it was the other way around. In any case, they were shouting at each other.

"These cool things you all say - they don't mean anything!" Inari was shouting. "No matter what you do, the strong always win and the weak always lose."

"Speak for yourself, punk," Akira muttered.

"Akira's right," Naruto said. "It won't be like that for me - for us. You got that?"

"Why don't you be quiet? Just looking at you makes me sick!" Inari yelled, tears falling from his eyes. "You don't know anything about this country! You're just butting in! Always laughing and playing around - you don't know what it's like to suffer!"

Akira violently stood up and slammed her fist on the table. Everyone jumped and looked at her. Even Sasuke was surprised to see that kind of anger from his sister. Then again, he understood why she was getting angry. While Sasuke was busy with ideas of revenge, Akira had mourned her clan's destruction. She mourned it still, and she carried that with her everywhere she went both inside her and outside, her father's bandanna a constant reminder of that day. Did she cry? Did she show any form of weakness? No. That just wasn't the Uchiha way. But this kid... This kid assuming that no one else had suffered like him, worse than him...

"Who do you think you are?" Akira said dangerously. "Assuming no one else knows what it is to suffer! Not everyone puts it on display like you, you little cry baby!"

Akira clenched her fists and went to slam them on the table again, but she thought better of it and simply stood up.

"Thank you for dinner. Excuse me."

Akira ignored Sakura calling to her and Naruto yelling at Inari. She stormed out of the house, the cool breeze of the evening washing over her. The Uchiha girl dashed off, back into the forest where she and the boys had been training. The forest was dark and foreboding, but there was peace in its sullen ambiance. Akira found her anger diminishing a little, but it wasn't enough. Her eyes flickered over the thick, dark trunks of the trees that rose steadily into the sky, its branches interlocking with its neighbors like giant's arms linked together protecting their home. The trees were densely packed together, leaving just enough space to allow someone to maneuver through. She pressed her palm against its rough bark, and breathed in the scent of the forest.

Akira began beating the tree with her fists, putting every ounce of anger into her punches. Soon, there was a dent in the tree where her fists were hitting and Akira ignored the sharp pain in her hands when her knuckles finally gave in and cut open. Blood stained the tree now, sweat glistened on her forehead, but never did it mingle with tears. She held them back. Suddenly, as her fist flew towards the tree, a hand stopped her in her tracks.

"Your hands are bleeding," Kakashi said softly.

"Your point?" Akira said, voice strained.

"Usually when you start to bleed, it means you should stop."

Akira wrung her hand out of Kakashi's and went to punch again, but her sensei put himself between her fist and the tree. Akira ended up punching him straight in the chest. She paused there for a few seconds, breathing heavily. Then her hands fell to her sides.

"I hate him..."

"Who, Inari?"

"No." Akira's pained fists clenched. "Itachi."

"But?"

"But I want him back home... I want my brother back, sensei."

The sobs were stifled at first as she attempted to hide her grief, then overcome by the wave of her emotions she would break down entirely, all her defenses washed away in those salty tears. When she at last looked up at Kakashi, she was a picture of grief, loss, devastation. It was the face of one who had suffered before and didn't know if she could do it again. Then, just when Kakashi looked back at her face, that's when he saw the child she was; that's when he saw that the hurt had cut right back through the protective layers acquired in forced maturity. The mask of coping she wore was gone.

"You really aren't like Sasuke, are you," Kakashi said, almost smiling.

Akira began wiping away her tears.

"Sorry..."

"Don't be sorry, Akira." Kakashi put his hand her head. "Sometimes... you just gotta let it out."

"I was referring to punching you," Akira said with a small laugh.

"Oh, don't be sorry for that either. I interrupted your anger-relief session - I deserve it. Besides, it's not like you punched hard enough to hurt me."

"My hand is messed up!"

"Your point?"

Akira growled and walked away, Kakashi's hand slipping through her hair as she left. He laughed and followed her back to Tazuna's house, hands in his pockets. Akira was calm again.

* * *

The gulls were squawking early the next morning, waking Akira up slowly from her deep slumber. She looked to her left. Sakura, whom she shared a room with, was already awake and standing in front of the mirror, all dressed and ready, as she fixed bandanna in her hair.

"You're finally awake," she said. "I was going to wake you before I left the room."

"The seagulls woke me up," Akira said, sitting up and stretching her arms above her head.

"Akira..."

Akira looked over at Sakura again. She was staring at her hands. The Uchiha brought her arms down and out of sight.

"It's nothing. Really."

"All right, " Sakura said with a frown. "I'll be downstairs."

"Right. Yell for me when breakfast is up f I'm not there."

Sakura exited and Akira stood up. She shrugged off her night clothes and put on her regular clothes, making sure to put on her fingerless gloves; they'd hide her cut up knuckles. She then strapped her sword holsters to her arms, her bandanna to her waist and put up her hair in a half-assed bun. The Uchiha then went downstairs and greeted everyone in the kitchen. After they'd eaten breakfast, the ninja gathered their equipment and headed outside with Tazuna.

"Okay, I leave Naruto in your hands," Kakashi told Tsunami. "He's pushed his body to the limit overdoing it as usual, so he may not be able to move today at all."

"What about you? You're still recovering yourself," Tsunami said.

"Why, do I look wobbly?" Kakashi chuckled. "I'll be okay."

"Come on, let's go," Tazuna said.

Sasuke, Sakura, Akira, Kakashi and Tazuna made their way along the road and down to the pier where they took a boat out to the bridge. Everyone's calm demeanor vanished the second they stepped onto the bridge, replaced by immediate fear. All of Tazuna's men who remained were on the ground groaning, beaten up until they dropped. Suddenly, mist grew on the bridge and Akira's eyes widened.

"Akira, Sasuke, Sakura - get ready!" Kakashi-sensei said.

The four ninja surrounded Tazuna and Akira instantly pulled out her tachi, swinging them open. Sasuke and Sakura both took out kunai.

"I knew he was still alive... He just couldn't wait for round two."

"The mist... Zabuza is here..." Akira whispered.

"Sorry I kept you waiting, Kakashi," a rough voice said from the mist. "I see you still have those brats with you, including the kid with the swords."

Akira's hands gripped her swords tighter without her noticing and she solidified her stance. Her eyes were darting everywhere hoping to spot a glimpse of movement in the thick mist.

"Those ones are still trembling," Zabuza continued. Akira looked over to Sasuke - he was indeed shaking. But so was she. "Pitiful."

Suddenly there were over a dozen Zabuza's surrounding them. Just by looking at them, and from past experience, Akira judged them to be clones. That didn't mean they were any less deadly, however. Just then, Sasuke chuckled. The clone closest to him gasped. And then Akira smiled. The clone in front of her took a weary step back.

"I'm trembling... with excitement."

"Go on, Sasuke, Akira" Kakashi-sensei smiled.

It took barely a second for Sasuke and his sister to slice through all of Zabuza's clones with his kunai, returning to their original spots quite calmly. All the clones had turned into a puddle of water surrounding Tazuna and the four ninja.

"Ooh, so you could see they were water clones, huh?" Zabuza, a little further down, said in a mocking tone. "The brats are improving. Looks like you've got rivals, Haku."

Akira frowned. Haku... was that the masked kid's name?

"So it seems," the masked kid said.

"Well, well," Kakashi said. "It seems I had it right. It was all just an act with a cute little mask."

"Big phony," Akira mumbled.

"So I guess all that about being a tracker ninja was just a load of bull," Tazuna said.

"They look pretty chummy to me," Kakashi said. "I'd say they've been pulling scams like that for a long time."

"He's got some nerve facing us after he pulled that trick," Sakura said.

"And hiding behind a fake Anbu mask," Akira added. "Who does he think he's fooling?"

"That's it, I'm taking him out," Sasuke said. "Who does he think he's fooling, hiding behind that mask like some sort of clown?"

"Sasuke, you're so cool!" Sakura giggled.

Akira deadpanned.

"Isn't that what I just said?"

Kakashi-sensei patted her shoulder reassuringly. Suddenly, Haku came at them spinning in some sort of whirlwind. He was headed straight for Sasuke, who braced himself for an attack or to defend himself. Haku lunged at Sasuke with another one of his senbon, but Sasuke blocked it easily with a kunai.

"Akira, Sakura, cover Tazuna and stay close to me," Kakashi said. "Let Sasuke handle this for now."

"But Sensei- "

"Akira, no. Stay with Sakura and Tazuna."

Akira's gaze hardened and she nodded, standing with Tazuna and Sakura. Sakura had lots of willpower, but her fighting skills were nearly nonexistent. Maybe that's why Kakashi-sensei wanted her by their side - to protect them both. So, Akira stood in front of Sakura and Tazuna, facing Kakashi and Zabuza, her swords in their proper position to defend. Who knew what Zabuza and Haku were planning this time...


	16. Death

Sasuke and Haku kept attacking each other with their weapons over and over again. Akira was relieved to see that her brother was holding his own so far, but if Kakashi even had doubt that that kid was Anbu, then she was sure that wasn't the extent of his abilities. Akira looked back at Kakashi-sensei and Zabuza who was staring at them maliciously, his arms probably itching to swing that broadsword of his. But he wasn't doing anything, and Haku began speaking; this drew the Akira's attention.

"We want the bridge builder, not you," he said. "If you back down, I won't have to kill you."

"Save it," Sasuke replied.

"You're making a mistake. You won't be able to keep up with my speed. I've already gained two key advantages."

"Oh, yeah? What are they?"

"First, we're surrounded by water," Haku said calmly. "Second, I've blocked one of your hands, therefore you only have one free hand to defend yourself."

Just then, Haku began making hand signs with one hand. Akira gasped. Even Kakashi-sensei was surprised. It took an extraordinarily strong ninja to do hand signs with one hand.

"Secret Jutsu: 1 000 Needles of Death."

Haku stomped the water with one of his feet and suddenly the puddle that was all around then rose into the air, turning itself into a thousand ice needles. Akira frowned. No matter how impressive it was, as long as it didn't hit any vital organs, this jutsu wasn't deadly at all. Did Haku really not want to kill Sasuke after all? But as they came down on him, Sasuke concentrated his chakra at his feet and jumped clear from the ice needles and further away from Akira, Haku and the others. As he fell back down, Sasuke threw multiple shuriken at Haku, but he dodged them all. A split second later, the Uchiha was behind Haku and kicked him straight in the face, sending him back towards Zabuza. Sasuke returned by Kakashi's side.

"Thought you were quicker, huh?" Sasuke taunted. "Hmph, my sister is faster than me, imagine that... Now, what else are you wrong about?"

"You made a big mistake insulting these ninja, calling them brats," Kakashi said. "That's just guaranteed to bring out Sasuke and Akira's attitudes. And they're the best young fighters of the Hidden Leaf Village. And Sakura here is one of our sharpest minds."

Sakura giggled.

"And last but not least, our number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja is Naruto Uzumaki."

Zabuza laughed. It almost sounded demonic.

"Hmph. Haku, if we keep going like this, we'll be the victims instead of them. Get on with it."

"Right."

Suddenly, azure chakra became visible, like burning flames, around Haku. They reached out almost a foot away from Haku, and it seemed, as they were moving the same way a growing flame would, that it was expanding even more.

"I'm sorry it's come to this," Haku said.

There was a sudden drop in temperature. Any colder and Akira's short, nervous breaths would become visible. Haku then rose his hands into a peculiar seal, his forefingers crossed together. Suddenly, the water beneath Sasuke's feet rose into columns of ice that formed giant rectangular sheets of ice all around him and Haku, like some sort of ice mirror arena.

"Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!"

"Sasuke!" Akira shouted, taking a step forward.

"Akira, stay where you are," Kakashi-sensei said.

"But I don't even know what those mirrors d- "

Akira stopped herself. She didn't know what those mirrors were, no. However, she could find out soon enough. She planted her swords into the concrete bridge beneath her feet and placed her hands together in a simple ram seal and closed her eyes, reopening them seconds later with the two-tomoe Sharingan awoken in both eyes. Zabuza gasped.

"The runt has the Sharingan in both eyes!?"

Akira glared at Zabuza, her Sharingan analyzing everything about him. To the naked eye, you couldn't tell that he was nervous seeing the red kekkei genkai in the girl's eyes, but the Sharingan saw it. Even Kakashi was nervous a little.

"Sorry, Sensei," Akira said. "Was saving this for a special occasion, but I guess I have no choice."

Akira's gaze shifted towards Haku and Sasuke just as Haku was entering one of the ice mirrors. Akira frowned, furiously analyzing the jutsu Haku had used. Just then, Kakashi dashed forward towards Sasuke, but Zabuza intercepted him.

"If you enter this fight, you fight me." Zabuza's gaze flickered over at Akira. "You enter this fight, and the Sharingan kid gets it," he said. "Your boy has no chance against Haku's jutsu. He's finished."

Suddenly, needles were flying out of the mirrors at a speed even Akira's Sharingan had problems following. They were grazing Sasuke, as if Haku was merely playing with him, but Sasuke couldn't dodge them. He was getting scraped up by dozens of needles per second. Akira grabbed her swords again, ready to dash towards him the second he was in mortal danger. A few seconds later, the kunai Sasuke was holding was slammed out of his hand by a flying senbon and landed at Sakura's feet. The senbon just kept coming and coming, cutting Sasuke all over until he was shielding himself with his arms, no longer focused enough to defend himself or attack.

"Just try to stop him, and I'll kill the other three in a heartbeat," Zabuza said, looking behind Kakashi at Sakura and Tazuna.

"I'm sorry..." Sakura said. "I can't stay with you."

"Go..." Tazuna replied.

Just as Sakura passed Akira, the Uchiha girl grabbed her arm and turned her around to face her, both red Sharingan gazing into Sakura's frightened pale green eyes. Akira didn't even need to look at her hand to know that Sasuke's kunai was there. Slowly, she released Sakura and she went running, jumping just before she reached Zabuza and throwing Sasuke's kunai back at him. But half of Haku's body came out from one of the mirrors and he caught it easily. However, he didn't notice a shuriken coming his way and so it hit him square in the face, sending him toppling out of his mirror. Akira looked up. Even through the mist and a smoke grenade, Akira's Sharingan knew that it was Naruto's doing. She rushed forward, taking advantage of Naruto showing off, and grabbed Sakura to bring her back beside her and Tazuna.

"Number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja," Akira muttered.

"Naruto Uzumaki is here! Yeah, believe it!" Naruto cheered, a determined look on his face. "Ha! Now that I'm here, everything will be all right!"

"Naruto!" Sakura said happily.

"You know, in the stories, the hero usually arrives late and then kicks butt? Well that's what I'm gonna do right now, believe it!"

Akira could practically see Kakashi's and Sasuke's thoughts on their faces. Both of them were calling them idiots, and Akira couldn't disagree. Though thankful there was another ninja on their side, he could have arrived more... subtly. If he'd had stayed hidden, he could have been much more effective. He turned to Haku.

"All right! You're history!" he said, crossing his index fingers in front of him. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Akira sighed. 'And now he's not hiding his jutsu,' she thought.

But Zabuza got scared and threw a handful of shuriken in his direction. Akira followed them with her Sharingan, her pupils dilating when they fell on Haku. She saw all of his movements, no matter how fast. She caught every millisecond as Haku turned towards the flying shuriken and threw senbon at them, knocking them to the ground. Everyone gasped.

"Their weapons cancelled each other out," Sakura said, amazed.

"What're you doing Naruto, are you crazy!?" Akira yelled, her red eyes focused on the yellow-haired boy.

"This is a battle, not a talent show!" Kakashi-sensei yelled. "Don't let your opponent see your jutsu!"

"Ah! Akira what's up with- "

"A shinobi's art is deception!" Kakashi said loudly, purposefully interrupting Naruto so that Haku didn't see Akira's Sharingan. "Always keep the enemy guessing. Even when executing a single jutsu, one must distract their opponent's attention, catch them off-balance and out-manoeuvre them. You just turn yourself into a human target when you enter a battle like that!"

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Naruto yelled. "I was just trying to rescue everybody!"

"But... there's another mystery here..." Akira said, looking over at Haku who was still gazing at Naruto.

"Haku, what're you doing?" Zabuza asked.

"Zabuza, this boy, let me fight him my own way," Haku asked. "Please."

"Bring it on!" Naruto called, seemingly not intimidated.

"So you want me to leave this to you? Is that it, Haku?" Zabuka scoffed. "As usual, you're too soft."

"Forgive me."

'Soft?' Akira thought. But the more she thought about it, the more she saw it made sense. That jutsu of his could have easily killed Sasuke in seconds, he could have let the shuriken fly at a frozen Naruto... but he didn't. Surely he wasn't soft, but Haku was no where as unforgiving as Zabuza, that was certain.

"I'm warning you! One way or another, I'm going to rip that mask off and take you apart!" Naruto yelled, pointing accusingly at Haku.

"Don't even think about it," Zabuza said. Akira looked over: Zabuza was talking to Kakashi; he'd moved a step forward. "You know the score. If you go after Haku, I go after the bridge builder and your brats." Zabuza chuckled. "Relax Kakashi. Sit back and enjoy the show. Let's see how they do one on one."

Akira wasn't even watching Naruto and Haku anymore, not even Sasuke. She was watching Kakashi and Zabuza, waiting for either of them to twitch into an attacking position. If that ever happened, Akira was going to either go help Sasuke or Kakashi, depending on which was worse off. But then Akira realised something. She looked over at the ice mirrors and Haku again, straining her Sharingan even more. Her eyes widened.

"Sensei! It's a bloodline trait! A kekkei genkai!"

Zabuza laughed.

"Kekkei genkai?" Sakura said, confused. "What's that?"

"It's like Akira's and my Sharingan," Kakashi-sensei said. "You can't learn it. It has to be in your blood, in your genetic code passed down from generation to generation in a single clan."

"But that means..."

"Yes. Even I can't copy that jutsu, and neither can Akira. There's no way to stop him, and no way to destroy it."

Akira looked back at Sasuke and Naruto, definitely worried now. She wished she was there now, an extra pair of eyes - a pair of Sharingan eyes - to see the speed of the senbon Haku was throwing. Akira gripped her swords tighter, her knuckles turning white. Both Haku and Zabuza were disgraces to shinobi, being the rogue ninja they were, using their village's secrets for their own personal gains. And now... Now they were toying with her family, her team. How dare Haku inflict pain to her family!?

Akira was getting angrier and angrier by the second. Sakura and Tazuna could sense it, as they looked at her worriedly, taking a small step back. It seemed that even Kakashi could sense her anger. But it was nothing like last night's outburst. This was the kind of anger that she poured into her training, yes, but it was also the terrifying anger that rose out of someone the second they wanted to destroy... to kill.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura shouted. "Take this guy out, you can do it!"

"Don't Sakura," Kakashi said sternly. "Don't push them."

"Huh?"

"Even if they somehow found a way to overcome the mirror jutsu, they still couldn't defeat this ninja."

"How can you be so sure!?"

"They have the desire to win. But they don't have the instinct to kill. Even Akira, as angry as she is right now... I doubt she'd follow through."

"You wanna test me, sensei? Hm?" Akira said, almost like a growl.

"That boy is a whole other breed, Akira," Kakashi said. "He lives for pain. He thrives on it."

"He could die for it too, if he wanted," Akira added, her blades twitching in her hands.

Kakashi sighed, weighing his options. Soon, his hand went to the bandanna covering his eye. Zabuza laughed.

"You're no fun, Kakashi, using the same old trick."

Suddenly, Zabuza dashed forward clutching a kunai before Kakashi could reveal his Sharingan. But Akira, thoroughly angry and ready to attack, anticipated his movement. In the blink of an eye she was standing beside her sensei, swords slashing down on the arm with the incoming kunai, successfully smashing the kunai to the ground. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving, looking down at her feet.

"If you ever lay a hand on my sensei..." Akira's gaze sharply turned towards Zabuza, her Sharingan boring into his pale brown eyes. "I'll kill you!"

Zabuza gasped and he took a step back. Sasuke was right, she was faster than him. Suddenly, her swords slashed at his face and a cut appeared on the rogue ninja's cheek. Kakashi's eyes widened and he placed a hand on Akira's shoulder.

"Thank you," he said.

"And I thought the other one had an attitude," Zabuza chuckled, though Akira could hear the nervousness in his voice.

"You know, Zabuza, if my Sharingan is just an old trick, why did you stop me?" Kakashi asked, taunting the man.

"Let your opponent see your jutsu too many times and he'll find a way to use it against you," Zabuza said.

"Then count yourself lucky. You're the only man alive who's seen my Sharingan twice. Show's over. There won't be a third time."

"Even if you did defeat me, you have no chance against Haku."

Akira growled at the mention of his name and her head snapped in Zabuza's direction again.

"When I found him he was just a street kid. But I trained him in the most advanced ninja techniques, eventually his power even surpassed my own," Zabuza said. "His bloodline trait, the kekkei genkai, cannot be defeated by anyone. I've created a tool that can destroy anything that stands in my way. Unlike the useless punks that follow you around."

Akira slashed one sword at him, but he dodged it to his left, which made Akira slash her other sword to his left, resulting in another cut on his face.

"Why you little - hmph. You think your genin punks together can beat Haku?" Zabuza asked, mocking them. "He's the ultimate! A battle tool of destruction!"

"Are you finished bragging yet? You're starting to put me to sleep," Kakashi said, annoyed. He revealed his Sharingan. "Let's finish this, now!"

"Fine. But there's one more thing you should know. A little more bragging as you say. Did you really think our last battle was just win or lose? That I took your attacks like some rank genin?" Zabuza asked. "Haku was there, hiding, watching every move you made. Studying your Sharingan. Haku can see a jutsu once and immediately devise a lethal counterattack. It's one of his... gifts. I've been waiting to see the look on your face when you realise that your Sharingan has become useless."

"Doesn't mean mine works like his," Akira growled.

"We'll see about that. Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

Akira stared at Zabuza, her Sharingan analysing the jutsu he was performing, memorizing it, until suddenly Zabuza disappeared into the mist.

"Akira, stay sharp."

Akira nodded and faced her sensei, looking behind him at Tazuna and Sakura, while he looked behind her at Haku, Naruto and Sasuke. But the mist was getting thicker, and it was getting harder for Akira to see the bridge builder and her pink-haired teammate. She doubted Kakashi could see the ice mirrors at all, anymore. There was no movement that Akira could discern with her Sharingan, and no voices to hear with her sensitive hearing. For a second she wished she had Kiba's sense of smell and hearing. Suddenly, she sensed something coming at her from behind and she ducked. Kakashi had sensed it too, and stopped all the shuriken flying at them with his kunai. She rose again.

"Very skillfull, as I'd expect from Kakashi, but not his brat."

Suddenly, Akira's Sharingan picked up Zabuza behind Kakashi-sensei, and her eyes widened at the sight of him. Akira positioned her swords and Kakashi turned around, sensing him too. They frowned. Zabuza's eyes were closed. He was fighting in a mist that was even too thick for him... with his eyes closed?

"But the next time you see me, it'll be the last time you see anything. Without your Sharingan, you're nothing."

He disappeared again. Akira growled. An enemy she couldn't see, couldn't hear... She never faced anyone this tough. This was her first real mission. And it didn't matter how much was on the line, how terrified she was - the thrill of it was incredible. But Sasuke... Naruto... Akira didn't know how long they could hold out. The girl took a deep breath. She had to think, think about where Zabuza would strike next. On her? On Kakashi-sensei? Akira gasped. The bridge-builder!

"Akira!"

"Right behind you."

Kakashi and Akira ran through the mist, using their Sharingan to make the way there more clear to them. But the mist was thick, and by the time they'd reached Sakura and Tazuna, Zabuza was already launching himself at them. Kakashi used his incredible speed and put himself between Zabuza and the two others, but he was too slow to avoid the Demon's broadsword. Zabuza slashed at Kakashi's chest, penetrating his clothes and light armour. Sakura screamed, terrified.

"Oh look, I laid a hand on your sensei," Zabuza laughed.

Silent and swift, Akira slid in front of her sensei and sliced one of her tachi diagonally at Zabuza. He wasn't fast enough either; both Zabuza and Kakashi had a slash on their chests. Akira looked at the blood at the end of her blade unphased, then back at Zabuza. He growled and glared at her.

"You little- "

Akira didn't give him time to speak. She slashed her other sword at him, the other one coming back into position. Zabuza blocked it with his broadsword, but Akira's second tachi slashed at his legs, and a large cut appeared across Zabuza's thighs.

"Didn't I tell you... You lay a hand on my sensei, and you die!"

"You might be feisty, kid, but I can't say the same for the ones fighting Haku. They've got no chance at all..."

Zabuza chuckled. He brought a hand to his face again and was about to disappear once more.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Akira shouted.

She dashed forward, swords at the ready, but by the time she'd reached the place where he stood, Zabuza was gone again. Akira growled, breaths getting loud and heavy again, trying not to yell out in anger. She turned to Kakashi, Sakura and Tazuna. Her gaze softened slightly. Kakashi-sensei was wounded, Sakura and Tazuna were terrified out of their wits, and she couldn't even tell if Sasuke and Naruto were still alive. It wasn't the time to get angry. Akira had to keep a level head.

Kakashi and Akira stood in front of Tazuna and Sakura, both panting heavily. Using the Sharingan didn't take much chakra for Akira, but it took a lot out of Kakashi. Akira was simply getting tired from running around so much, defending herself and attacking Zabuza. Who did he think he was saying those things? Sasuke and Naruto would fight hard, they'd get hurt, but they'd survive. There was no way Sasuke was going to allow himself or Naruto to die.

"I have faith in you brother... Naruto," Akira whispered. "Anyone who tries to take them away from me will pay."

"Exactly," Kakashi said. "I believe in their abilities. I have faith in them. Naruto, the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja; and Sasuke, the second of the two heirs to the most powerful clan in the Hidden Leaf Village."

"You mean...?" Akira heard Zabuza say.

"Yes. His full name is Sasuke Uchiha, and this feisty little punk is his sister, Akira Uchiha. The unique powers of the Uchiha bloodline run through their veins. The kekkei genkai is their birthright."

"Ah, I'd heard that two young ninja had survived the tragedy of the Uchiha clan. No wonder they advance so quickly. But... so does Haku. No one can match him."

Akira laughed, sounding like purely sinister in the thick white mist.

"What about you, Zabuza?" Akira crooned. "I've already got two gashes on you..."

Zabuza growled.

"Sakura, stay with Tazuna!" Kakashi ordered. "Akira, with me."

"Until the end of the line, sensei," Akira said, smirking.

Then suddenly, both ninja dashed into the mist once again. But Akira and Kakashi stopped a few moments later, both sensing something big. Akira could feel the wrath, the blood lust. This wasn't Haku or Zabuza, she'd sensed their chakra before. No... No, this was something different. She gasped. 'Could it be?' Akira thought. 'Could this be the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra?' But if it was, did that mean the Fox was loose? Was the seal broken!? No, it couldn't be. The seal was loosened then. This was just a glimmer o the Fox's power, but it was enough to send an immense chill down Akira's spine. This was exponentially worse than her anger.

Akira looked to her left. Kakashi was deep in thought as well. Surely he was thinking the same thing. Just then, he pulled out a scroll from his jacket and opened it with one hand. He poked his thumb in his wound and covered it with blood, spreading a line of it on the opened scroll. Akira's eyes widened. That was a summoning scroll, but what was Kakashi summoning?

"Zabuza, I don't mean to spoil your fun. I know how you like to stretch these things out," Kakashi said, spinning the scroll around and rolling up again, holding it while hands were in placed in the tiger seal. "But how about we put an end to this now? Come on, what do you say? We're all busy people."

"Hm... tempting. I'm curious to see how you intend to back up such brave words. Show me, Kakashi!"

Kakashi performed few more hand signs, the scroll still in his hands somehow.

"Ninja Art: Summoning! Earth Style: Fanged Pursuit Jutsu!" he then shouted, slamming the scroll to the ground.

"I don't know why you bother," Zabuza said. "Of what use is your jutsu if you can't even find me? But I can find you. Blindly falling into my trap. You disappoint me, Kakashi. I didn't expect much from your brat either, even if she is an Uchiha."

Suddenly, there was a rumbling beneath Akira's feet and she nearly lost her balance, but Kakashi held onto her arm so that she didn't fall. Then Akira heard growling and then... barking? She heard Zabuza yell and the growling continued. It sounded like...

"A pack of dogs?" Akira whispered.

"I realized that if I couldn't see you, I'd have to smell you out."

If Akira couldn't have Kiba's ears and nose, then surely a pack of ninken was the next best thing. Suddenly, the mist cleared a little and, with the Sharingan, Kakashi and Akira were able to see Zabuza ahead. There were about a half a dozen dogs latched onto to various parts of his body.

"That was a summoning jutsu. I was calling forth my ninja, hounds," Kakashi said. "They can track a scent anywhere. See? I let you cut me. It was the scent of my blood on your blade that lead them to you. Also, with Akira attacking you, it made it hat much more convincing that I hadn't meant for you to cut me. Good job with that, by the way, Akira," sensei commented looking at his student. Akira smiled. "Looks like I wasn't the only one who was blind. Falling into my trap... You disappoint me, Zabuza."

"Sensei, the mist is starting to clear," Akira said.

"Yes, it is. And do you know what I see, Akira?"

"What?"

"His death."

"Talk, talk," Zabuza scoffed. "Do you mean to talk me to death?"

"In a way, yes," Kakashi said.

"Damn, we can't just stab him and go?" Akira complained.

"I'm afraid not. See, right now Zabuza, my hounds are just playing with you. But one word from me and they'll tear you apart."

"Poor Zabuza," Akira chuckled. "See where your ambitions got you? You were always pushing things too far."

"All right, Zabuza. Enough talk. Time to finish it." Kakashi said sternly, yet still sounding like his usual aloof self. "But it won't be with Sharingan, imitations of some other ninja's tricks. No, it's time I introduced you to my own jutsu."

Just then, Kakashi rapidly interlocked his fingers into an ox seal, a hare seal then a monkey seal, and lastly with a seal Akira didn't recognise, but her Sharingan was sure to remember it. He was holding his right wrist, his right hand cupped as if holding something. Suddenly, bright blue chakra became visible in a circle around Kakashi's feet and it began to pool in his hand, forming a ball of hyper concentrated and visible chakra. There was so much of it that it even made a sound, like her own Inazuma, but this didn't buzz, it almost chirped, like a thousand birds. Akira's eyes widened; she knew her sensei was strong, but this... visible chakra was something else. And to control it like that! Akira could feel her Sharingan working in overdrive, analyzing every bit of this lightning-like attack.

"I won't allow you to kill, Tazuna. He's a brave man, with a noble dream. The bridge he is building is the hope of this land and all its people. You're like a disease: by attacking one, you infect all. And you don't care. That is not the way of the shinobi."

"You're right, I don't care," Zabuza said. "These useless little people and their petty little dreams - why should they matter to me? I have a dream of my own."

Akira growled. She planted her swords into the ground and made a few different hand seals as well, and when she grabbed her tachi, the familiar yellow lighting returned to her blades. Kakashi looked at her, concerned.

"There's no way I'm letting him say those things without me doing something about it, sensei."

"You know what you're about to do, right?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes."

"If you're sure."

Kakashi nodded at Akira and they both charged at a helpless Zabuza, their electric attacks lighting up the fog that still surrounded them. But at least it was lifting. And as Akira approached Zabuza, her heart began to beat faster and faster. It started to dawn on her, her anger leaving and the seriousness of her actions finally weighing in, that she was about to kill someone. Barely even a teenager and she was going to murder and enemy. She didn't stop though. She couldn't even if she wanted to - she was running too fast now to stop herself in time before her blades cut through Zabuza. Akira counted her last footsteps before she reached him. Three... Two... Suddenly, her Sharingan picked something up, but it was too late. Kakashi's palm hit, Akira's blades pierced. Their attacks were successful, but not on the right person. Akira's eyes widened as the blood from the inflicted wounds splashed onto her clothing and her face. Fear, shock, dread all plastered themselves on Akira's face. She looked straight into the eyes of the person she had impaled and her breath became shallow. All she managed was a whisper:

"Haku..."


	17. The Scent of Jasmine

Akira could feel the sweat drenching her skin, the throbbing of her eyes, the straining of her Sharingan, and the thumping of her heart against her chest. Her fingers were curled around the handle of her tachi, nails digging into her palms. She couldn't hear her rapid breathing, but she could feel the oxygen flooding in and out of her lungs. Hesitantly, Akira's midnight blue eyes looked at the standing corpse before her, the person she killed. Fear tortured her insides, churning her stomach in tense cramps. Fear engulfed her conscience, knocking all other thoughts aside. Fear overwhelmed her body, making it drastically exhausted. However, most of all, the fear was making her calm and that was what scared her the most.

The pack of ninken disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakashi was just as shocked, perhaps even just as frightened, as Akira was and no longer focused enough to maintain his jutsu. Zabuza stared on at Kakashi and Akira, eyes wide. Then they fell on Haku. Akira's blades pierced through him, Kakashi's palm left a cavity in his chest, his bright red blood was everywhere: on Kakashi, on Akira, on the ground. Then the electric chakra from the Leaf Village ninja died down, and the bridge was quiet once again, the buzzing and chirping sounds gone. Akira pulled her swords away and Haku latched onto Kakashi's arm, blood dripping from his mouth.

"Zabuza..." Haku whispered, voice slow and hoarse.

Akira's breath hitched in her throat and she took a step back, her blood-soaked blades and clothes leaving a short trail. She heard footsteps running towards her on her left and, out of panic, she swung them in the same direction. She gasped and stopped when she saw it was only Naruto, who had stopped only mere inches away from the tip of her tachi. He looked at them and at her wide-eyed. It didn't take long for him to understand what had happened.

"The boy threw himself in front of our attack," Kakashi said, sounding mildly angry. He glanced up at Zabuza. "He saved your worthless live at the cost of his own."

"Well done, Haku," Zabuza chuckled. "I knew I'd found a treasure when I found you, boy."

Suddenly, Zabuza began to slash down at Akira and Kakashi, fully aware that he'd split Haku and half if he did. Kakashi didn't hesitate to grab Haku and jump out of the way, but Akira didn't move. Instead, she rose her swords at Zabuza's broadsword and stopped it midair, sending a fair amount of chakra to her arms to help her.

"Not being for being in shock, kid," Zabuza laughed, pushing down on Akira's blades with his own.

"I'm not... in shock," Akira said through clenched teeth. "I'm angry."

Akira pushed up with her swords enough for her to backflip out of the way, landing next to Kakashi and the dying Haku.

"You'll pay for that!" Naruto yelled, causing Akira's head to turn swiftly in his direction.

"No, stay out of this, Naruto!" Kakashi said.

It was only then that she realised Naruto was safe.

"Naruto?" she gasped.

"Naruto!" Sakura cheered happily. "So you and Sasuke are all right?"

Akira's breath hitched in her throat. She looked at Naruto. She looked near him. Her eyebrows twitched into a frown.

"Where is Sasuke anyway?" Sakura continued.

No more than a split second later did Akira burst into a run, heading towards where the ice mirrors used to be. She was scared again, but this wasn't the same kind of fear. This kind of fear didn't make her calm, it made her anxious. Her hands were shaking as she ran, her tachi dropped to the ground the second she bolted. And then she stopped. Akira couldn't breath, it felt as if someone was choking her. Her heart was racing and all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball. There he was, lying flat on his back, with what seemed like hundreds of senbon sticking out of him. There was a small pool of blood building up beneath him, soaking his clothes. A glimmer of blood trickled down from his mouth. A choked cry forced itself up her throat, and Akira felt a drop run down her cheek. Sasuke wasn't moving, his eyes closed unlike Haku's were upon his death. Akira fell to her knees, ignoring the scrapes that the concrete created. Her hand reached out to his face but she recoiled a little, terrified of what she might feel. However, Akira managed to cup his cheek and she gasped upon touching his skin: he was cold.

"Sasuke..." Akira whispered. "You're supposed to be warm..."

The world turned into a blur, and so did all the sounds. The taste. The smell. Everything was just gone. Just like that, the floodgates opened. So many tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down Akira's face. Her chin trembled as if she were a small child. She breathed heavier than she ever had before, gasping for air that simply wasn't there. Her throat burned, letting out a raw scream that made Sakura run over as well. Akira's body slumped, her forehead falling onto her brother's immobile chest. She couldn't hear Sakura crying. She couldn't hear anything. A part of her had just died... But she felt someone hold her hand, and she suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with tears and hair disheveled, every ounce of her broken. It was Sakura, and her eyes were glossy, looking down sadly and her fallen comrade and his sister.

"This isn't one of those genjutsu tricks, is it?" Sakura said softly, voice trembling.

Akira shook her head slowly, as if it took all of her energy to move.

"Go on, you need to be brave on my account," Tazuna said. "Go ahead and let your feelings out, Sakura. Like Akira."

"We were the best at the Academy, aced every test. The perfect students." Sakura began, pushing the hair away from Sasuke's face. "There are over 100 principles of shinobi conduct, and look at us. Breaking the most important one," she said, bursting into tears as well.

"'A shinobi never shows his feelings, no matter what the circumstances. Feelings are a weakness that only cloud his judgement and weaken his sense of duty,'" Akira said, quoting from the scrolls she read at the Academy. She choked up more tears. "Brother..."

Both girls sobbed over Sasuke's body for what seemed like hours. They ignored Kakashi-sensei fighting Zabuza and Naruto's speech about Haku. They ignored the fact that Gato had died at Zabuza's hand and that the latter requested he be laid to rest with Haku. They ignored all of it. Akira's mind was blank except for the pain she felt both physically and emotionally. She had no one. Her clan was gone, Itachi was gone and now... Sasuke.

Death wasn't kind. Akira knew that. It snatched where it could, taking people who were far too young, far too good. It didn't pretend to care, it didn't pretend to distinguish. The hooded vale of death had hung over the world for a long time, always threatening. It the second time Death's touch came so close to her. Death had ripped away a part of her, the part of her that was most loved. The world had gone cold, because of the plague that was death.

"Akira... Sakura... It's hard to breathe with you two on top of me..."

Both girls' heads suddenly rose up to stare at Sasuke's face. His eyes were open, revealing the black irises that Akira was so used to seeing. The tension in Akira's body melted away at once and her Sharingan vanished from her eyes. She grabbed his hand and she smiled; Sasuke was warm again. Haku really was too soft; he never intended to kill Sasuke...

"Sasuke!" Akira gasped, wiping away her tears. "Sasuke, you're alive!"

The female Uchiha wasted no time in tackling her brother in a hug, needing to feel his warmth again.

"Ow! Akira, that hurts!" Sasuke growled.

"Shut up, Sasuke! Let me hug you or I give you to Sakura!" Akira retorted and, unsurprisingly, he stopped talking. However, he started to sit up. "No! No, what're you doing? You shouldn't move!"

"How's Naruto?" Sasuke asked, taking her and Sakura by surprise. "And what happened to that guy in the mask?"

"Naruto's fine," Sakura said. "But the - the one in the mask..."

"Kakashi-sensei and I killed him," Akira said, surprisingly calm. But it was only because she was happy to have her brother back. "He was protecting Zabuza."

"You- "

"Yeah, I did. It's not something I want to do ever again, unless I have to."

Sakura stood, smiling.

"Naruto! Over here! Sasuke's all right!" she shouted.

Akira helped Sasuke stand up and they both faced Naruto. Upon seeing him, Sasuke rose a hand in acknowledgement. Naruto smiled. All was well. It was only then that Akira noticed Zabuza was also down, placed beside Haku, and that the villagers had all gathered up on the bridge, Inari leading them forward to scare off Gato's thugs.

Akira supported Sasuke as they, Sakura and Tazuna walked back towards Kakashi-sensei and Naruto. Akira looked up at her sensei and then at the blood that stained his clothes. Kakashi placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and Akira couldn't help but smile with relief. Suddenly it began to snow, and Akira's gaze was immediately drawn to Haku. The girl smiled. If Kai were here, he'd say that it was like a shoujo manga again, the way that the snow fell onto her dark hair, as if they were Haku's tears. It was indeed beautiful.

"He told me, where he came from, it was always snowing, all the time," Naruto said, sniffling.

"Of course," Kakashi said softly. "His spirit was as pure as the snow."

* * *

Akira stood watching the line where heaven touched earth. Her wide eyes witnessed the resounding glowing collision. Lavender illuminated the sky and glimmers of orange poured, as the glory of paradise descended further behind the seam of the world. Akira glanced over her shoulder and saw her shadow slowly elongating over the graves of Zabuza and Haku that she and the rest of her comrades had dug. She looked back to the line, only a few bright streaks remained to signal heaven's passing. The sun had set.

"Is that really it, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked. Akira turned around slowly. "Is that really the ninja way? To use and be used by people like tools?"

"Shinobi are merely tools in the hands of destiny," Kakashi said. "No point in wondering if it's right or wrong. It just is. It's the same in the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

"Well, if you ask me if that's what being a ninja is all about, something's out of whack," Naruto said. "Is that why we go through all this training? Just to end up like them? What's the reason for that?"

"Well, it's a question an answer that is different for everyone, I think," Akira said, turning back towards the sunset. "I think that we all have to find our own ninja way, our own path to walk."

"I think Akira's onto something!" Naruto chuckled, looking out at the sunset with her. "From now on, I'm finding my own ninja way. A way that's straight and true, and without any regrets. From now on, I'm following the way of Naruto!"

Akira couldn't help but chuckle, looking over at the knucklehead ninja. Even Kakashi and the others couldn't hold back a small bit of laughter. Once again, Naruto cheered everyone up.

"Come on, guys," Kakashi said. "Let's go back and rest - we leave early, tomorrow."

"I'll race you, Naruto!" Akira said, slapping Naruto on the shoulder and bolting down the hill.

"Hey, no fair! You got a head start!" Naruto complained.

"Naruto, Akira!" Sakura protested. "You're going to fall flat on your faces rushing down like tha - what did I just tell you, Naruto!?"

* * *

Akira came back to Konoha a changed girl. She was stronger and yet more wounded at the same time. She'd killed a man and managed to cope with it surprisingly well, and the shock of seeing her brother's death had been replaced with a newfound appreciation for Sakura, who was there with her in a moment of tragedy.

When Akira stepped foot across the threshold that lead to Konoha, she was met with the same familiar smell of jasmine and lavender, and the sight of the main street where she walked everyday, people bustling around as usual. Being away for two months, you'd think she'd have missed her home town, but she didn't, not really. In fact, Akira was quick to break away from team seven and her sensei and dash off towards the training ground she, Kai, Shikamaru and Kiba were always at. She ran through the crowd of people on the main street, passing the cherry blossom trees and the spot where she and Kai met up everyday, and waved hello to the nice people who ran Ichiraku Ramen when she bolted past. Her heart swelled when she reached the Academy and entered the training grounds. Of course, they were the only ones on the training yard who weren't training. Akira sighed and smiled. There they were: Kai sitting cross-legged in the grass as usual, fanning himself with the pale blue paper fans he always carried with him, his white hair shining in the sunlight; Shikamaru was leaning against a tree, arms crossed and with that same lazy expression on his face that Akira loved so much; and then there was Kiba, lying flat on his back, staring up at the bright blue sky with his dark eyes, Akamaru sleeping peacefully on his stomach.

"Miss me?"

Two pairs of piercing black eyes and a set of soft golden ones shifted towards the sound of Akira's voice, and the three boys stared at her in pure shock. There she was, a lopsided smirk on her dirty and cut up face, standing proudly before them like she always did. She didn't look much different, save for the blood stains on her clothing, but the three boys could tell something was different with her. They saw it in the way she held herself, the way her eyes seemed to shine differently than before. They shone brighter, as if she'd awakened somehow. And before Akira knew it, Kiba and Kai were tackling her.

"Kira!" Kiba shouted, laughing happily. "You're back!"

"We missed you so much!" Kai said, squeezing her as hard as he could.

"Okay, okay! Boys, I need to breathe! Shikamaru - help!"

"Welcome back, Akira," Shikamaru said, smiling slyly. "You're on your own."

"You asshole!"


	18. They Aren't Fighting

Unfortunately, team seven had returned to the regular genin missions after their return to Konoha and Naruto was back to complaining. Since they were easy missions though, Akira was able to concentrate on her training a lot more. If she had to be honest with herself, Akira thought she was turning into Sasuke: every day she'd wake up before the sun every morning and go to the training ground Kakashi-sensei made them go through the bell test at, and she kicked and punched the posts that were there until her ankles and knuckles bled, and splinters of wood were embedded in her pale skin. When she was done beating the posts and the sun was starting to set, she'd turn to the water nearby, making sure no one was there, and slump in front of it, running her hands over the cool surface. Today was different. It was team seven's day off and none of them had a mission to accomplish, including Kakashi-sensei. Naruto was most likely going to goof off with the Hokage's grandson, Konohamoru; Sakura was probably going to spend her day chasing after Sasuke or reading; and Akira's brother was most like going to train some more or laze around in a tree, observing the people passing by.

It was now five in the morning, about an hour before the sun came up, and Akira was already out of bed and coming out of a shower. She got dressed and tied up her wet hair and exited her apartment, grabbing an apple on the way and biting down on it as she locked the door behind her. She headed down the stairs and began her walk to training ground three. Upon the petals of sakura, jasmine and lavender sat a hundred beads of water, each one a perfect sphere, brilliant in the soft lavender light of the morning sky. Akira smiled as she passed the spot where she had waited for Kai so many times and walked on, humming a soft tune she remembered from somewhere. All the shops were sleeping, and as Akira made her way through the small forest that separated the main street and the training ground, she looked around at the sleeping trees, still in the wind-less morning.

Soon the three familiar posts came into view and Akira headed to the water, ignoring the beat up posts for the first time in weeks. Calmly, she sat down in front of the still water, looking at the reflection of the sky in it. Akira looked around and listened for any sign of life and, when she sensed nothing of importance, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, soothing her already peaceful mind. But it needed to be completely harmonised for this to work. Her right hand extended over the lake as her eyes opened, midnight blue scanning the water underneath her pale fingers. Akira felt the chakra in her body flow towards her fingertips as she lowered them to brush the water.

"Didn't I say not to do that without me around?"

Akira gasped and her concentration was broken, hand retracting from the water. She looked to her right and spotted Kakashi-sensei, hands stuffed in his pockets, and lazily walking over to his student.

"Sorry, sensei. I've just been staring at the water for weeks now and..." Akira sighed. "I couldn't find a moment to ask you to help me with this."

"We haven't been that busy have we?" Kakashi asked, sitting down next to Akira.

"No, we haven't. I just... I was kinda scared to ask you. People aren't supposed to pull water out of the ocean."

"That's true, but there are ninja who have certain... abilities."

"Yeah, but since when does an Uchiha pull water out of the ocean?" Akira sighed, hugging her knees. "We're known for our fire jutsu, not water-based jutsu. The lightning I produce was borderline acceptable - my father always reprimanded me for not learning the Great Fireball Jutsu like Sasuke or..." She cut herself off.

"What was it you said a few weeks back? Something about making your own path as a ninja?"

"Using my own words against me, that's nice." Akira scoffed.

"It doesn't matter whether you know the Great Fireball jutsu or not, Akira. It doesn't matter if your father would think it right or not. What matters is that you improve what you do know, and what you think is right for you," Kakashi said. He nodded towards the water. "Go on."

Akira sighed and sat up straight again, reaching over the water again and placing her fingertips onto the cool water. The Uchiha closed her eyes again and took a deep breath to calm herself. The flow of chakra slowly returned to her hand and it only took a few more moments for Akira to feel the familiar sensation of water on her fingertips. Her eyes slowly opened and she suppressed a gasp. Crystal clear water was swirling around her fingertips, not even touching her, but moving with every twitch or lift of her fingers.

"It's weird. I can feel the water, but it's not touching me," Akira said in a soft whisper.

"My guess is that you're feeling the chakra you've imbued the water with," Kakashi said, staring at Akira's hand.

"I've imbued the water with chakra?"

"That's the only way the water would move."

"I am both terrified and fascinated," Akira chuckled.

"Can you project the water forwards?" Kakashi asked.

Akira looked back at her hand and the still water surrounding her fingers. She took a deep breath and, as she released it, she sent chakra rushing forward to her fingertips and tried to expel it. The water only traveled a foot forwards. She sighed, disappointed.

"It's not like you were going to get on the first try," Kakashi-sensei noted, pulling out a book. "But at least we know that you can. Try and push a handful of water away like a bullet, for a few hours."

"And you're just going to stay there and read?" Akira asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "What are you even reading?"

"Focus, Akira."

"Yes, sensei."

Akira spent hours trying to shoot a bullet of water across the lake. It was like the tree training all over again. She just couldn't get it, and this was taking up a lot, if not more chakra, than walking up a tree. She was getting tired fast, and by the time lunch came around she was lying on her back, panting heavily and staring at the bright blue sky. Expelling all that chakra was proving to be draining. Suddenly a shadow crossed her face and she turned her head to her left. Kakashi-sensei was standing over her, holding a box lunch.

"Thought you might be hungry."

As if on queue, Akira's stomach grumbled and she smiled awkwardly. The girl sat up and took the lunch from Kakashi who sat back down next to her.

"Do I have to steal a bell to eat this?" she chuckled.

"Not this time, kid. You're gonna need some strength to keep up with this training," Kakashi said, opening up his book again.

"Tell me about it."

"Expelling chakra isn't something everyone can do. While it's not the same or has hard to accomplish as making your chakra visible, it still requires a certain amount of skill which not many people have. It also- "

"Sensei," Akira interrupted. "That was rhetorical."

"Oh..."

"Don't worry about it, I would have started mumbling away too."

Akira stretched out and took a deep breath.

"Done already?" Kakashi said, looking over at the empty box lunch.

"Can't waste daylight, can I?"

"I suppose not." Akira was about to resume her training but Kakashi stopped her. "Try standing. It'll ease the flow of chakra throughout your body."

Akira nodded and stood up, smoothing out the clothes she'd washed about four times before the blood stains came out. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, letting the chakra flow to her hand. When she felt the cool sensation of the chakra imbued water on her fingertips, she opened her eyes. Akira calmly retracted her arm, the small ball of water following, and then she shot her arm forward as well as the chakra. The ball of water flew away so fast Akira didn't even realise it left her hand until she looked at it.

"Ha!" Akira shouted, grinning. "Yes! I'm awesome! Take that, stupid water! I beat you!"

"All right, all right, settle down," Kakashi said, laughing a little. "Do it again, make sure it isn't a fluke."

Akira didn't close her eyes this time. With confidence, she raised an orb of water to her hand and spun it clockwise in her hand before launching her hand and chakra forward, sending the water bullet forward.

"See? Not a fluke. I'm fantastic," Akira said proudly, turning to her sensei with her hands on her hips. His nose was in his book. "Did you even see that?"

"I look up every time you try, so yes," Kakashi said, sounding indifferent as usual. "Now, I want you to try and shape an orb of water."

The training went on until the sun began to set and Akira had to go meet her friends at the Academy's training ground. At the end of the day, Akira had managed to throw senbon or kunai-like amounts of water and pierce through wood like a regular weapon would. Akira waved her sensei goodbye, a large smile on her face and her heart swelling with pride, as she left training ground number three. She happily ran down the main street, swiftly avoiding bumping into strangers, and managed to get to the Academy without injury. Upon arriving in front of her friends, she skidded to a halt, panting but smiling.

"Hey guys!" she chimed.

"Did you run here?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yup! All the way from training ground three."

"That's on the other side of the main street!" Kiba said, shocked.

"Yes, yes it is." Akira slumped to the ground. "Ready for some training, kids?"

"Are you?" Shikamaru asked. "You look like you've already been training... all day."

"I have. Since five in the morning. But I'm fine, really."

"How about we get some barbecue instead? I'm starving," Kiba said. "Besides, you can't even stand."

"Come on! I came here to kick your asses!" Akira laughed, standing up with ease. "If you win at hand to hand, I'll treat you to some barbecue, Kiba..."

"You're on!"

Kiba and Akira stepped apart and stopped at a relatively good distance of each other. Akira smiled and mockingly positioned herself in some pose of martial arts, to which Kai and Shikamaru laughed. Kiba merely rolled his eyes and took out a kunai, taking an offensive stance.

"Didn't I say hand to hand?"

"Kunai count in hand to hand, so do shuriken - oh, and your swords!" Kai said.

"Swords!?" Kiba shouted, looking Akira over. "Where do you see swords!?"

Akira smirked and pulled out the knife-like blades from her wrist pouches. Kiba snorted. Then the Uchiha flicked them outwards and the tachi unfolded. Kiba's eyes widened.

"You have swords... She has swords!?"

"More things Akira is good at? What a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes nearby and Hinata showed up, eyes looking everywhere but ahead.

"Hey, Hinata! You come here to see me kick Akira's ass?" Kiba barked.

"Hey, I'm the one who's gonna wipe the floor with you!" Akira protested.

"Kiba's my teammate, I have to cheer him on," Hinata said softly.

"Yeah, but he's gonna lose so..."

Kiba countered Akira's sentence by running at her full speed, kunai in both hands. Halfway to her, he threw the kunai straight at Akira. The girl twirled her swords once in hand and shot both the knives down with her swords. As she repositioned her swords, Kiba took the opportunity to lunge at her. Akira judged that she wouldn't be able to win with her swords right away, so instead of positioning them, she cast them aside and blocked Kiba's jab with her hand, pushing his hand aside and aiming a punch at his head. Kiba dodged it and grabbed Akira's arm with both hands. Akira knew he was aiming to flip her so she prepared for it. When Kiba did flip her, as she expected, Akira let her body flow with Kiba's attack and when she was completely on the other side of him, she twisted her body and landed on her feet. She kicked Kiba in the back with both her feet, sending him flying forward. His lighting quick reflexes allowed him to land on all fours and he spun around the second he landed. He wasted no time in dashing at her again, pouncing like an enraged dog, and attempting to land multiple punches on Akira. As everyone knew however, Akira's reflexes were just as good, if not better than Kiba's, and she blocked every single one of his blows, managing to land one straight on Kiba's chest, sending him crashing to the ground. Akira rapidly grabbed one of her swords and triumphantly put her foot down on Kiba's back, pointing the tip of her blade at his head.

"Check mate," Akira smirked.

"If I could use Akamaru, I swear you'd be crying, right now!" Kiba growled.

"Keep telling yourself that, kid."

"I'm older than you!"

"That means nothing to me."

Akira put her blades away and held out her hand to Kiba. How she couldn't see he was going to pull her down, neither Shikamaru, Kai or Hinata knew, but he did and Akira landed down in the dirt with him. She growled, annoyed, and began to punch Kiba playfully and that turned into wrestling each other until Shikamaru and Kai broke it up, pulling the two friends apart. Their clothes were dirtier than they were after the battle with Zabuza and Haku, and that was saying something.

"I won that!" Kiba said, being held back by Shikamaru.

"Please, if Kai saved your ass from me," Akira said, being held back by Kai.

"Why are they fighting?" Hinata asked, a little scared.

"They aren't fighting," Shikamaru said through Kiba and Akira's arguing.

"This is how they bond," Kai sighed.

"But it's so violent..."

"Fine!" Akira shouted all of a sudden. "You win! Happy now?"

"Yes," Kiba said. There was a pause and then, lightly, he said: "Barbecue?"

"Sounds good."

Then, much to Hinata's confusion, and Kai and Shikamaru's exasperation, Kiba and Akira walked off calmly, laughing about whatever joke Kiba said, on their way to have good food in the company of good friends. All was well.


	19. The Hidden Sand Genin

The nightmares had woken her up again, the bodies of her parents sprawled out on the ground like limp ragdolls hauting Akira once more. She woke up in a cold sweat and sat upright, panting heavily, eyes wide. Akira ran her hands over her face, wiping away the beads of sweat. She hugged her knees through the thick grey blanket of her bed for a while, thinking of nothing but desperately trying to calm herself down, trying to get out of this state of mind. Akira rocked herself back and forth a little, jumping at every little noise until she finally found peace and her breathing slowed naturally. She looked up from the floor and to her left, at the window that overlooked a part of the city. Akira calmly swung her legs over the side of her low bed and stood up, feeling the cold wooden floor as she treaded over to grab an intense red kimono.

The air was cool outside, as she realised soon after exiting onto the balcony of hers and Sasuke's apartment. The light breeze blew through Akira's fine hair, whisking it off her shoulders and into its grasp. Her midnight blue eyes scanned the horizon, the buildings not yet awake under the dark blues and pale lavenders of the sleeping sky. Everything was muted; the sounds, the colours - it was peaceful. From here she could see training ground three, the rooftop when she and the rest of team seven introduced themselves to their sensei, Kakashi. Akira smiled. She recalled what she'd said to introduce herself:

 _"My name is Akira Uchiha. Sounds stupid, but I like learning... reading. One of my favourite things though are my friends. Um... I don't particularly dislike anything except for seafood. As a hobby I sing a little - hum mostly 'cause I hate the sound of my voice. And dream for the future? That's an easy one," Akira had said with a smile. "I want to become the best ninja I can be and follow in my father's footsteps - one day, I'm going to be the head of Konoha Military Police and protect my city with all I've got!"_

Akira chuckled. She forgot that she'd told everyone she liked to sing and hated the sound of her voice. Kai used to ask her to sing all the time as children, but since the Uchiha tragedy... Well, Akira hadn't sung at all since then. It was like Itachi took that away from her as well as the rest of her clan, her family. However, she still hummed the melodies that her mother used to sing to her as a child, the ones that she remembered so vividly, they could have happened mere minutes before. But this nightmare was too vivid... maybe she could sing something. Besides, what was holding her back except herself? Akira leaned against the railing of the balcony, looking out at the lake beside training ground three. A melody began playing in her head; it was was soft and airy, a little child-like, just like the songs Mikoto used to sing. After a little hesitation, Akira began to sing her song to the empty streets and into the open air:

 _Somewhere, a voice calls, in the depths of my heart_

 _May I always be dreaming, the dreams that move my heart_

 _So many tears of sadness, uncountable through and through_

 _I know on the other side of them I'll find you_

 _Everytime we fall down to the ground we look up to the blue sky above_

 _We wake to it's blueness, as for the first time_

 _Though the road is long and lonely and the end far away, out of sight_

 _I can with these two arms embrace the light_

 _As I bid farewell my heart stops, in tenderness I feel_

 _My silent empty body begins to listen to what is real_

 _The wonder of living, the wonder of dying_

 _The wind, town, and flowers, we all dance one unity_

 _Somewhere a voice calls in the depths of my heart_

 _keep dreaming your dreams, don't ever let them part_

 _Why speak of all your sadness or of life's painfull woes_

 _Instead let the same lips sing a gentle song for you_

 _The whispering voice, we never want to forget,_

 _in each passing memory always there to guide you_

 _When a mirror has been broken, shattered pieces scattered on the ground_

 _Glimpses of new life, reflected all around_

 _Window of beginning, stillness, new light of the dawn_

 _Let my silent, empty body be filled and reborn_

 _No need to search outside, nor sail across the sea_

 _Cause here shining inside me, it's right here inside me_

 _I've found a brightness, it's always with me_

Akira sighed, closing her eyes and walked back inside to make herself a cup of sencha and started to make breakfast. It was a little early to be making it, but Akira didn't expect to go back to sleep and usually it was Sasuke who made breakfast; it was about time she made it. All the while calmly sipping her sencha, Akira made some rice and grilled some fresh tuna and a few different kinds of veggies, her silky kimono swaying with her every time she moved. By the time she was done, Sasuke came out of his room fully dressed and, without a word, he set the table. Seeing what she'd made, he prepared a small pot of green tea and placed it on the table. Akira plated the rice, fish and vegetables into bowls and set them in their respective places on the table, and Sasuke poured the tea over it. The siblings enjoyed their Ochazuke in silence and cleared the table as usual. However when Akira came back from her room after getting dressed, Sasuke hadn't left and was waiting by the door for his sister. Akira smiled. He knew she'd had a nightmare.

It had been a few weeks since team seven had returned from their B-rank mission in the Land of Waves and, as Akira and Sasuke walked to the designated spot to meet Kakashi-sensei, Akira couldn't help but think of how much stronger she'd gotten since then. She'd begun to manipulate water, as crazy as it sounded, and she'd started to hone her lightning jutsu and basic taijutsu. She was nowhere near her goals, but it made her smile nonetheless. Progress was good.

Eventually, Akira and Sasuke made it to the bridge where they were supposed to wait for Kakashi-sensei. Akira sighed; she knew he'd be late - why did she arrive on time, early even? It wasn't long before Sakura joined them and gushed over Sasuke again. No matter how much respect Akira could have for Sakura after what happened in the Land of Waves, she still annoyed her to high-heaven. About a half hour later was when Naruto arrived, and with him came Akira and Sakura's dread. Ever since they'd come back from their mission, Naruto and Sasuke had been worse than usual; neither of them wanted to admit saving each other, dying for each other, remotely caring about each other. And for some reason, Naruto was mad at Akira as well. She presumed it was because she'd killed Haku, but Kakashi had as well and he didn't hold it against their sensei. Akira sighed. Sometimes Naruto made no sense.

"Hey, good morning Sakura! What's up?" Naruto said with a smile.

However he didn't even let Sakura respond before he proceeded to glare at Sasuke and then Akira. Sasuke glared back, of course, but Akira just looked away and moved closer to Sasuke. Naruto huffed and subsequently turned his back to both Uchiha. Akira sighed, silently wishing that their sensei would arrive soon. But that wouldn't happen for a few hours. When he did pop up, he appeared in a flash of smoke on top of one of the archways over the bridge. All the students turned to him.

"Hey, guys. Good morning," he said pleasantly as if there was nothing wrong. "Sorry I'm late. I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life."

"AH! YOU'RE NOT FOOLING ANYONE KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Naruto, Akira and Sakura shouted in unison, while Sasuke contented himself with a glare. Kakashi jumped down and landed silently.

"I'm ready for the next ninja mission, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. "And hey, now. No more of this dumb beginner stuff, okay? I want a chance to prove myself. I'm talking a real mission, where I can show off what I'm made of! Ah! I gotta break out and burn it up! See!?"

If this was a shoujo manga, Naruto would literally be on fire. Kakashi held up his hands in surrender a little awkwardly and taken aback by Naruto's intensity.

"Uh, right. I get it. That's great, Naruto," he said. "Now... take it easy would you?"

Akira chuckled quietly as Naruto glared at their sensei. But Naruto heard her and turned around to glare at her, which made him see Sasuke, which in turn made him glare at both of them again. He snarled at them, taking an offensive stance, but didn't move for several minutes as if he was daydreaming or something. Akira raised an eyebrow at him, a look of casual indifference on her face. Sasuke had the same expression, but Sakura looked like she wanted to punch Naruto. Poor her, getting wrapped up in all this.

"Believe it!" Naruto shouted all of a sudden, making Akira jump and look at him wide-eyed.

"Let us know when you're done fantasizing, Naruto," Kakashi said, almost sighing, "so we can start the mission, all right?"

"Right!"

"Could you not be so annoying, Naruto, just for once?" Sakura asked, irritated.

Once again the mission was uneventful and excessively boring, being that the mission was to simply pull some woman's weeds. However, Naruto, trying to beat Akira and Sasuke at everything ended up pulling out an entire batch of weeds and flowers, much to the client's discontent. A few more weeks went on like this. Even when they were cleaning up garbage in a river, with Kakashi-sensei reading peacefully under a tree, Naruto managed to slip while chasing after the last piece of garbage. Akira and Sasuke had to team up and save him before he fell down a waterfall. Naruto still hadn't learned his lesson when they went cog walking, taking the largest canine there, who ended up dragging the weaker boy into a minefield. This one meant that Sakura and Sasuke had to carry Naruto back, while Kakashi-sensei and Akira walked behind them.

"You really are just one big problem, aren't you?" Sasuke said.

"Sasuke, give it a rest," Akira said, trying to defend Naruto a little.

But Akira didn't get the desired effect. Instead of Naruto at least getting mad at only Sasuke, he got angry at both of them again, condemning Akira for protecting him too much again. The girl sighed, defeated, sinking back beside Kakashi-sensei. Sakura even had to go so far as to stop Naruto from lunging at the Uchiha, threatening to knock him out.

"Guess we're not making any progress on this teamwork thing, huh?" Kakashi sighed, looking up from his book.

"That's right! Our teamwork is all messed up and it's because of you two!" Naruto yelled at Akira and Sasuke. "You think you're so much better than everyone else?"

"Not everyone. Just you," Sasuke said. "Face it. I'm better and stronger than you are. It's a fact. Unless you got what it takes to prove me wrong?"

"Shut up!" Akira said, stepping between the boys and conking them on the head. "Enough! We're shinobi, and we don't have time for petty squabbles like this! All of us need to get stronger, and the best way to do that is through teamwork, a perfect symbiosis between all of us, not by arguing like this. Sakura and I don't like each other much, but do you see us yelling at each other all the time?" Akira looked over at Sakura who smiled a little. "A shinobi's priority is the mission. Feelings must be put aside."

It was like neither of them had heard her. Sasuke and Naruto were still glaring at each other, standing off. Akira sighed.

"All right, guys," Kakashi-sensei sighed, turning to walk away. "Let's call it a day. You can beat each other to a pulp some other time. Anyway, I need to file a report on this mission."

Seconds later he was gone.

"Whatever. I'm outta here," Sasuke said, turning away. "Akira."

"Hm?" Akira hummed, looking up towards her brother's retreating figure.

"Come on."

"No, I'm going to practise with Sakura and improve our teamwork," Akira said, a little defiantly. She looked between Naruto and Sasuke. "You're both welcome to join. Come on, Sakura."

Akira turned towards her and grabbed her wrist, gently pulling her away. However, Akira and Sakura stopped walking when they came across a box with a rock-like texture on it appeared at her feet. Both girls shared a look and frowned at it. Naruto crept up behind the girls and sighed seeing the box. He went to stand in front of Akira.

"That's the worst disguise of all time! There's no such thing as square rocks!" he shouted. "It's completely obvious!"

"You saw through my camouflage again!" a small voice said from the box. "You're slick boss."

"Boss?" Akira mumbled.

"Just what I'd expect from my greatest rival!"

Suddenly, the box exploded with three different colours of powder: one blue, one yellow and one pink. When the smoke cleared, Akira spotted three kids on the ground, coughing through the gunpowder.

"I think we used a little too much gunpowder, guys," one of the kids said. They looked up and blinked a few times before standing up and introducing themselves rather dramatically in what seemed like a Naruto-style choreography. "I'm Moegi, the sassiest kunoichi in preschool! Check me out!" A little girl orange hair tied up with red elastics, into two very large pigtails had spoken up first. "I love algebra! Call me Udon!" A boy with short brown hair and large round glasses spoke next. "And I'm the number one ninja in the village! Konohamoru!" This one had short, spiky brown hair and a shirt that featured the Leaf Village symbol. "And when we're all together - we're the Konohamoru ninja squad!"

"Yeah, I knew it was you, Konohamoru," Naruto lazily.

"Oh, so that's the famous Konohamoru," Akira said with a smile, stepping out from behind Naruto and crouching down to the boy's level. "Naruto talks about you a lot."

All a sudden a blush spread on Konohamoru's face.

"W-Who are you?"

"Akira. I'm Naruto's teammate."

"WHAT!?" all three kids yelled.

"Boss, you never said Akira was that pretty!" Konohamoru shouted, pointing accusingly at Naruto.

Akira blinked a few times and stood up, looking over to Sakura for clarification. She just shrugged.

"So... did you want something?" Naruto said coolly.

"He's just trying to be cool," Konohamoru whispered to Udon.

"You know what we want!" Moegi said. "Are you busy now?"

"Hm... I have to train. Believe it!"

"What? But you promised you'd play ninja with us today!" Konohamoru complained.

"A ninja playing ninja?" Sakura and Akira muttered, confused.

"Oh, Sakura, you're still here," Naruto said, stuttering a bit and blushing since Sakura was staring right at him. He suddenly burst out a long nervous laugh.

"You're a smooth operator, boss," Konohamoru said. Akira rose an eyebrow. "Come on, I know that she's your... girlfriend."

"Huh!?" Sakura growled.

"Uh oh..." Akira whispered, backing away a little.

"Well, you could tell she's really crazy about me, huh?" Naruto bragged, blushing.

All of a sudden, Sakura lunged forward and punched Naruto square in the face, sending him flying back. Akira sighed.

"Hey, what kind of a girlfriend are you!?" Konohamoru shouted.

Meogi and Udon rushed to Naruto, saying that Sakura had cracked him, and Konohamoru made the mistake of bringing up Sakura's forehead. Akira rolled her eyes at the scene unfolding before her and leaned against a tree nearby, glancing up at them once and a while. At this rate, she'd never get any training done with Sakura or at all for that matter. Akira heaved a sigh and went to leave, but the commotion stopped all of a sudden. She looked up and saw that Konohamoru, while running away from Sakura, had bumped into someone. Someone she didn't recognise.

There were two people standing beside each other, a boy and a girl, but Konohamoru only ran into the boy. He wore a black, baggy, full body suit with a black hood adorned with cat-like ears, which covered his head completely. His bandanna seemed to be integrated into his hood. On his face, there was a mulberry coloured face-paint design and, on his back, he carried something quite large that was wrapped in bandages. Akira wondered what it was. Beside him was a young woman teal eyes and sandy blonde hair, which was gathered into four pigtails. She wore a single light purple, off-the-shoulders garment that extended to halfway down her thighs, with a scarlet sash tied around her waist. In addition to incorporating fishnet worn over her shoulders and legs, specifically on her right calf and her left thigh, she also wore her black forehead protector around her neck. She too carried something large on her back, but seeing Kai train with one, she knew it was a large fan.

"Do you need something?" the boy said, his black eyes looking down at Konohamoru. When he didn't answer, the stranger grabbed him by the collar and raised him to his level. "So, does that hurt you little punk?"

"Kankuro, put him down," the girl said. "Or you know you'll pay for it later."

Kankuro glanced at the kid and then at the others. Neither of them seemed to have noticed Akira hiding the in the shadow of the tree she was underneath.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Sakura apologized. "The whole thing was my fault."

"You better take your hands off him, right now!" Naruto yelled.

"We got a few minutes before he gets here," Kankuro said. "Let's mess with these punks, huh?"

"Let go of me, you jerk!" Konohamoru said, kicking Kankuro in the stomach.

"You're feisty, but not for long."

Suddenly, Naruto dashed at Kankuro, yelling angrily. It was subtle, but Akira noticed the stranger's fingers move as if he were pulling something. An instant later, Naruto was on the ground before even reaching him. 'He's a puppet master,' Akira thought. 'Interesting.' She then properly looked at their bandannas. She recognized that symbol. If Akira wasn't mistaken, that was the symbol for Sunagakure, the Village Hidden in the Sand. The Uchiha frowned. What were sand ninja doing in the Land of Fire?

"You're a Leaf Genin, too?" Kankuro asked. "Looks like your village is full of wimps."

"That's it! Drop him now or I take you apart!" Naruto shouted. "You got that, fool?"

"You're the fool," Sakura said, covering his mouth. "Making threats isn't going to help, Naruto."

"You're annoying... All of you," Kankuro said. "I don't like runts or scrawny weaklings. So when a wimp like this starts shooting off his mouth... I just want to break him in half."

"Uh, fine," the girl beside Kakuro sighed. "But I'm not involved in this."

"First, I'll take care of this little squirt," Kankuro said, squeezing Konohamoru's collar tighter. "Then I'll waste the other one."

Kankuro's fist rose into the air and he aimed to punch Konohamoru in the ace. In the blink of an eye, Akira dashed forward and pressed down hard on the nerves in Kankuro's wrist, making him release the small boy. At the same time, a rock flew from the trees and hit Kankuro on his punching hand, drawing a little blood. Akira put Konohamoru down and faced Kankuro, a look of calm fury over her face. To her left in the tree, Sasuke was sitting quietly, bouncing a rock in his hand. Akira glanced sideways at him, then back to Kankuro. 'So that's where he went,' she thought.

"You're a long way from home," Akira said.

"And way out of your league," Sasuke finished.

"Sasuke, Akira!" Sakura cheered.

Naruto groaned at both of them, despite them saving Konohamoru, and Kankuro glared at them as well.

"Oh great, more wimps to tick me off," Kankuro said, annoyed.

At the same time Sasuke stopped bouncing the rock in his hand, Akira drew one of her tachi and unfolded it, and as the blade was pointed mere inches away from Kankuro's face, Sasuke crushed the rock in his hand to dust.

"Get lost," they said together.

"Ah, so cool!" Udon, Moegi and Sakura cheered, leaving Naruto to sulk.

"How come you're not cool like them!" Konohamoru complained.

"Ah! What do you mean, I could have taken that guy in two seconds flat!" Naruto said.

Konohamoru looked away in a huff and Naruto growled, glaring at Akira and Sasuke.

"Hey, punk, get down here and tell this little girl to stop pointing her stick at me," Kankuro said. At that, Akira pointed her sword closer to Kankuro - it was only two inches from his face now. "You guys are the kind of pesky little snot I hate the most. All attitude and nothing to back it up."

Kankuro then detached whatever it was he was carrying from his back and placed it in front of him menacingly. Akira narrowed her eyes; if he was a puppet master, then this was surely his puppet.

"Kankuro, back off," a quiet, threatening voice said.

Akira looked to her left, towards Sasuke, and her eyes widened ever so slightly. There was a boy in the same tree as Sasuke, feet stuck to the branch above him so that he was upside down. By the look on Sasuke's face, Akira didn't think her brother even noticed the boy was there. He was about her age, with fair skin that could rival her own in paleness. The tanuki-like black rings around his eyes brought out their colour, a vivid sea foam green. His short red hair, that grew out naturally spiky, was the same colour as the mark on the left side of his forehead, the kanji for love. He lacked distinctive pupils and eyebrows, which seemed odd but it wasn't displeasing to the eye. On the contrary, the boy was quite attractive.

"You're an embarrassment to our village," the red-haired boy said to Kankuro.

"Uh... Ah... Hey, Gaara," Kankuro stuttered, clearly afraid of the boy.

'Gaara... So that's his name,' Akira thought. 'Good to know.' Realising that Gaara was soon going to be the reason Kankuro and the girl left, Akira withdrew her sword with a small flair and closed it up, placing it back into it's holster, and took a respectful step back. Gaara looked into her eyes for a few moments and then turned back to Kankuro. Akira released a breath she didn't know she had been holding; that boy's gaze was intense.

"Have you forgotten the reason we came all the way here?" Gaara said.

"I know. I-I mean, they challenged us! They stared the whole thing really!" Kankuro defended. Akira scoffed. "See, here's what happened-"

"Shut up. Or I'll kill you."

Akira rose an eyebrow at Gaara. Now that she thought about it, that gaze of his wasn't only intense, it was almost evil. There was something about that boy that just didn't sit right. Akira shook her head. Maybe she was way off. There was no need to judge him after only just meeting him. Kankuro did seem quite afraid of him, though.

"Ah, right. I was totally out of line," Kankuro stuttered. "I'm - I'm sorry, Gaara."

"I'm sorry for any trouble he's caused," Gaara said, looking at Akira.

The breath in her lungs seemed to have left again.

"It's quite all right," she managed to say.

As soon as she'd finished her sentence, Gaara disappeared in a wisp of sand and reappeared in front of Kankuro. It was then Akira noticed the large gourd on Gaara's back. She wondered what was in it, and suddenly it gave her an idea. As the three Sunagakure ninja left, Sakura ran forward.

"Hold on! Hey!"

"What?" Gaara said, finally stopping to listen.

"I can tell from your headband that you come from the Village Hidden in the Sand. Of course, the Lands of Fire and Wind are allies, but no shinobi can enter another's village without permission. So state your purpose. And it better be good."

"Sakura, they're walking in plain sight, of course they have passes," Akira sighed.

"Sword girl's got a point," the girl with Gaara and Kankuro said. "I still don't see why you're asking. Do you live under a rock or something - do you not know what's going on?" The girl put up her pass. "Look, we have permission, and yes we're Hidden Sand Genin. We're here for the Chūnin exams."


	20. Rock Lee

"The Chūnin exams? Already?"

Akira wasn't even thinking about the rude Kankuro or the intense gaze of Gaara anymore, her mind was solely fixed on the information the unnamed girl had just given her. It had only been a few months since they'd been Genin, and had only accomplished one real mission. On average, Genin go through about twelve to sixteen missions before they can be approved as Chūnin - team seven had only done half of that. If the Chūnin exams were happening this early, why hadn't Kakashi-sensei told them about it, made them prepare for it? That was if he knew they were happening this soon. Akira assumed he had no idea. Kakashi might be late all the time and appear to be indifferent to everything, but he never withheld significant information like this from them. This must have been a last minute decision by the Hokage.

"Well, I've never heard of any Chūnin exams, believe it," Naruto said, confused.

"I believe it, all right, that you're totally clueless," the sandy-blonde said with a scoff.

"Hey, boss," Konohamoru said. "The Chūnin exams are the exams that every Genin needs to take in order to become a full-on Chūnin."

"Oh, well why didn't you say so? I am so there!"

"Oh, Naruto," Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Akira's gaze lifted back to the three sand ninja and their retreating figures. She didn't see much in Kankuro except for a rude bully, or in the still nameless girl, though she did seem friendly enough. However, this Gaara was a different story. The way he looked at people, the way he talked... how he snuck behind Sasuke without him noticing. And that sand... The way he just disappeared into it without doing anything. If the Chūnin exams were really taking place, he was definitely someone she had to watch out for.

"Hey, you," Sasuke called, coming down from the safety of the tree. "Identify yourself."

"Hm, you mean me?" the sandy-blonde said as she turned around, a faint blush on her cheeks. Akira rolled her eyes; another fangirl.

"No, him. The guy with the gourd on his back."

Kankuro and Gaara turned around. Kankuro looked scared, as if he assumed Gaara was going to take his head off or something. But the red-haired boy simply turned around calmly, a look of detachment on his face.

"My name is Gaara of the desert," he said. "I'm curious about you too. You and that girl." Gaara's eyes flickered towards Akira. "Who are you?"

"I am Sasuke Uchiha."

"And I'm his sister, Akira Uchiha," Akira said, offering up a small smile.

There was a moment of silence in which Gaara, Sasuke and Akira stared at each other intently, as if sizing up their opponents. An ominous wind blew from behind the Uchiha twins.

"Hi there! I bet you're dying to know who I am too, huh?" Naruto yelled, breaking the silence.

"I couldn't care less," Gaara said, not even glancing at him.

The three Hidden Sand Genin turned around and left, leaving everyone to stare at the place they were just standing. Akira smirked; things had just gotten interesting. Akira turned back to Naruto, an eyebrow raised as he spoke:

"Hey, Konohamoru, do I seem uncool or something?"

"Well, compared to Sasuke and Akira, yeah, you're pretty lame," Konohamoru said in a matter-of-fact sort of tone.

"Ahh! You're not gonna show me up, Uchihas!"

* * *

Once again Kakashi-sensei was late. Only a few minutes after the three sand ninja had left, a message came for team seven to meet up with their sensei at the bridge they usually did. Of course, he was late. Kakashi wouldn't be Kakashi if he wasn't late. All four students were leaning on the railing overlooking a bright blue river, but only Akira was looking at the water. If anyone was looking at her face, they would be able to tell she was craving, yearning for something. In fact, Akira was dying to jump in and see what she could accomplish in another full day of training. The things she could do, the people she could impress during the Chūnin exams...

"Hey. Good morning, everyone," Kakashi greeted, popping up out of nowhere as usual. "Sorry I'm late. I'm afraid I got lost on the path of life."

"Again?" Akira said, facing him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"LIAR!" Naruto and Sakura shouted.

"I know this is a bit sudden, but I recommended you for the Chūnin exams... all four of you," Kakashi said, ignoring his students' complaints. He held out a few documents. "These are the application forms."

"Application forms?" Sakura said, confused.

"You're repeating me, Sakura... This is all voluntary. It's up to each of you. If you don't feel ready, you can wait until next year."

"All right!" Naruto shouted, lunging at Kakashi-sensei and trapping him in a hug. Akira's eyes widened in shock. "Kakashi-sensei, you rock!"

"Hey - what - don't slobber on my vest!" Kakashi complained, putting Naruto down. Akira couldn't help but giggle a little. "Whoever wants to take the exams, sign the application and come to room 301 at the Academy. It's at 3pm, five days from now. That's it."

With that, Kakashi-sensei disappeared again, leaving the four students with an application form each. They all walked down the bridge together in silence. Well, until Naruto spoke up and broke the silence as usual.

"Chūnin exams... Chūnin exams!" he laughed. "I'll be up against a lot of really wicked ninja!"

Naruto proceeded to fantasize once again. Akira guessed he was fantasizing about beating Sasuke to a pulp, maybe even that Kankuro. To be honest, Akira wanted to go up against Kai and her brother. Kai had always been kind of a friendly rival to her and Sasuke, well, it was Sasuke. Of course, she wanted to beat Kiba as well, sealing the deal on who was the strongest out of the two once and for all. Then there was this Gaara character. Akira didn't know if she wanted to go up against him; he seemed like a decent opponent, but the way he carried himself and looked at her. He looked dangerous. Maybe she'd just like to watch him fight, learn a few things.

The four teammates eventually went their separate ways, Akira heading towards training ground number three for some much needed training even though night was falling. Her body was aching for it - she hadn't trained all day. Looking at the stream earlier, meeting the Sand Genin... She wanted to punch, kick-

"Kira, you look like you want to punch someone," a voice said from nearby.

"Kiba?" Akira said, turning her head. Sure enough her close friend was walking towards her. "What're you doing all the way here? You're usually training at the Academy."

"Yeah, well, Kai and Shikamaru are playing chess and, well, you know me."

"Uh huh... You wanna train a little bit? I've been dying to kick something all day," Akira said, her eyes never leaving Kiba.

"You're on! And you're going to lose again," Kiba barked with laughter.

"Hey, I gotta practise my jutsu, we can go all out this time."

"Sweet! Let's go!"

"So uh, where's Akamaru? Don't you need him for like ninety-nine percent of your attacks?" Akira asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He hasn't been feeling well all day - he's home," Kiba said as if it were obvious.

Akira frowned and instantly took out her swords, spinning them in her hands before stopping them, allowing the blades to extend. Kiba took a step back as the Uchiha got into an offensive stance.

"Who are you!?"

"Kira! It's me! It's Kiba!"

"I don't know who the hell you are, but it was a mistake to impersonate one of the people I know best in the world," Akira said dangerously. "Kiba never goes anywhere without his best friend. Besides, I'm an Uchiha - can't fool me. So I'll ask you again... Who the hell are you!?"

Suddenly 'Kiba's' face split into a wicked grin and a deep, sinister laugh was heard across the training ground. Akira stayed poised and unreadable as the form of her friend melted to reveal another person. Judging from the metal plate on his wide, domed hat, he was from the Village Hidden by Rain - a village widely known for having many hired assassins. Most of his face was covered, but Akira could see teal face paint protruding from certain places and she could definitely see the man's completely white eyes, no pupil or iris of any kind.

"I thought the Hidden Leaf Village had powerful ninja, but looking at you I can see there are nothing but weaklings."

Akira ignored his words, analyzing her opponent instead. He had two long staffs attached to his back; that meant that he was capable of a certain amount of taijutsu. The long robes he was hiding in could facilitate making hand signs unnoticed if he kept his hands underneath the cloak. And while everything he was wearing seemed cumbersome, Akira had a nagging feeling that he could move easily despite it.

"This is like that punk all over again," Akira sighed, recalling Kankuro's words. "Weaklings - bla, bla, bla. Powerful ninja - bla, bla, bla. Look, if you're gonna keep talking, I'm just going to have to shut you up."

"And how does a little girl plan on doing that?"

"Oh, you know..."

Akira spun her swords and threw them in the air, timing herself. Buy the time the swords landed back into her hands she'd performed a few hand signs, pausing between two sets. As soon as her tachi were back into her firm grip, the blades became electrified with the yellow lightning that buzzed and echoed in the empty training ground. It lit up her face ominously, almost hauntingly, in the low light of the evening. Akira suddenly launched herself at the Hidden Rain ninja and slashed down at him. He barely had time to jump out of the way. 'At least he's smart enough to know I'll shatter his staff if he tries to block Inazuma,' Akira thought. However, when the rain ninja landed, he was kicked off his feet by one of Akira's Shadow Clones, and suddenly there were half a dozen surrounding him, beating his down. When he was no longer moving, Akira dismissed her clones and approached the man, electrified sword pointed at his throat.

"I no longer care who you are, what you want, or why you thought you could impersonate my friend," Akira said, low and slow. "And I don't want to kill you. But if you don't leave my village the second I lift my sword, I will have no other choice. Now, either you scurry off like a coward and live, or be brave and stay to die. Choose wisely."

Akira had barely twitched her tachi away from his face when the ninja vanished from her sight, running away. The Uchiha smirked and released her jutsu, the yellow lightning disappearing at once. She put her swords away and calmly walked to the training posts like she'd planned, training into the night as if nothing had happened.

* * *

The day of the Chūnin exams had finally arrived, and Naruto, Akira and Sasuke were waiting for Sakura to arrive so they could all enter the exams together. She was late, which was surprising. What was even more surprising was that Naruto had arrived before Akira and Sasuke. He really was excited. And he demonstrated that when Sakura arrived, greeting her way too happily. Of course, Sakura didn't give him the time of day and focused on Sasuke. Akira smiled - everything was normal for now.

The four students walked into the academy, looking at all the students that had gathered inside. The were hundreds, if not more, and they all seemed to be standing in front of a door on the second floor. Akira frowned and looked at the door - it said 301. 'Genjutsu,' she thought. 'They're testing us already.' Suddenly, a boy approached the door, but two others students kicked him back.

"You're taking the Chūnin exams, but you can't even get past us," one of them said.

"Why don't you just give up now before you get hurt," the other continued.

"Yeah, I think I hear your mommy calling you."

"Please let us through," a girl said. She was holding the kicked boy, so Akira assumed they were teammates. "We're supposed to go in there."

She approached them too, but the girl was slapped away too, landing next to her fallen partner.

"You think this is a joke? Chūnin are qualified to lead missions," one of the bullies said. "The lives of your squad members are in your hands, so you better be tough enough to take the heat. Delicate little girls don't belong here."

"Good thing I'm not delicate," Akira said, stepping up to the two boys. "Now, this has been a real nice speech and all, but really, who are you fooling?"

"Seriously, reverse that cheap Genjutsu of yours," Sasuke added. "We can see through it. We're going to the third floor."

"What are they talking about? We're on the third floor," someone whispered.

"Well, well," one of the bullies said. "You two noticed the Genjutsu, huh?"

"Go ahead, Sakura, tell them," Akira said. "I'm sure you saw it even before I did."

"Well, sure. This is only the second floor," Sakura said proudly.

"Right!" Naruto agreed, though Akira was sure he hadn't noticed.

Suddenly, the number 301 vanished and was replaced by the number 201. Akira smirked.

"Well, aren't you the smart ones? You noticed an illusion. Let's see how you deal with this!"

A split second later, the bully made to kick Akira, but Sasuke pulled her out of the way, intent on blocking the attack himself. But as he went in for a kick as well, the kid that was knocked down earlier sprung up faster than Akira had ever seen anyone move, and he stopped both kicks with his hands. Akira raised an eyebrow at him; that boy sure had a lot of chakra in his arms if he could stop Sasuke's kick so easily.

"Hey, what happened to the plan?" another boy said, coming out of the crowd with the girl who got slapped earlier. Akira deduced they were all teammates. "You're the one who said to keep a low profile and don't let anyone see our skill level."

"I know but-"

"Never mind, it's done now," the girl said.

Akira looked at them closely. The boy who had stopped the kick was very odd looking. He had a black bowl-cut and thick eyebrows with quite horrible lower lashes on his round eyes. He wore a forest green tracksuit and orange leg-warmers, his bandanna around his waist. There were bandages around his hands and arms, which suggested he delved deep in taijutsu. The other boy was a little taller and more well-dressed, wearing a simple beige jacket and brown shorts. His forehead protector had two buckles that framed his face, instead of his long brown hair which was loosely gathered together near its ends. When Akira saw his pale purple eyes, she was instantly reminded of Hinata, and she wondered if they were related. The girl was wearing ankle length pants and a pink, high-collared shirt. Her brown hair was gathered up in two buns at the top of her head, and her forehead protector was set above her brown eyes.

Just then, the boy in the green track suit stepped forward and stood in front of Sakura.

"My name is Rock Lee. You are Sakura, right?" he said in an overly-dramatic voice.

"Huh?" Sakura hummed, a little dumbfounded.

"Please be my girlfriend. I vow to protect you with my life!"

Akira rose an eyebrow at this Rock Lee and then looked at her brother. The look on his face was priceless, a mixture of confusion and disgust. Akira would take a picture if she could. Saskura blinked a few times.

"Definitely - not."

"W-Why?"

"Because you're a weirdo," she said, deadpan.

Lee sighed, defeated, and Naruto laughed. Akira and Sasuke both just wanted to get away from the weirdo. The two other teammates walked up behind them.

"Hey you two. Over here. Who are you?" the boy with Hinata's eyes said.

Naruto growled, angry that the Uchiha were getting all the attention again.

"It's common courtesy to give your own name before asking for someone else's," Sasuke said.

"You two are rookies, aren't you? How old are you anyway?"

"We're not obligated to answer," Akira said plainly, almost bored.

"What's that?" the boy said, irritated.

"Hard of hearing?" Sasuke said, making it worse.

"Hey, Naruto, Akira, Sasuke," Sakura said. "Come on! Let's go."

Sakura dragged Naruto and Sasuke by their hands, and Sasuke grabbed his sister's, as they walked up the steps to the real room 301 that Kakashi had instructed them to go to. Akira began thinking about the opponents she'd met. Gaara, Rock Lee and the boy with Hinata's eyes came to mind and she smirked. 'So this is the big, bad, Chūnin exams... Heh, it's a freak show. This is gonna be a blast,' she thought. Her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar voice spoke up from behind them as team seven was passing through a small taijutsu dojo inside the academy.

"Hey, you. The ones with the attitude. Hold on."

All four of them turned around and looked up. Rock Lee was on the balcony, staring down at them. He jumped down, landing quietly on the wooden floor and took a few steps forward. Sakura looked almost scared of him, quite understandably - who goes around asking strangers to be their girlfriends?

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, clearly annoyed. Akira was simply curious as to why he had followed them.

"I want to fight, right here and right now," Lee said.

"You want to fight me, right here and now, huh?"

"Yes. You and the other girl."

"Me?" Akira said, surprised. "Why?"

"My name is Rock Lee. You said it was common courtesy for a challenger to give his name first, right? Sasuke and Akira Uchiha."

"So you know us," Akira said.

"I challenge you!" Lee said, getting into a fighting stance. "Everyone is always talking about the Uchiha clan and how great they are. I want to see if it is true. I figure you will be a good test for me. And also..." he looked at Sakura and blushed, making the pink-haired girl want to vomit.

"You've heard of the Uchiha clan, yet you're challenging us?" Sasuke said, raising an eyebrow. "You must be even more psycho than you look, if that's possible."

"Now, now, Sasuke, be modest," Akira said. "We're rookie Genin, after all." She looked at Lee. "I don't accept your challenge, Rock Lee; fighting just to prove a point isn't something I engage in. But it is nice to see that you value me as a worthy opponent."

"Very well. I respect your decision," Rock Lee said. He turned to Sasuke.

"You want to know more about my clan? Then I'll have to teach you the hard way," Sasuke said.

Of course.


	21. Time to Grow Up

Of course.

Of course Naruto had to interfere. There was no way Naruto was going to let Lee challenge only the Uchiha part of team seven without him trying the challenger out first. As such, when Sasuke began to get into position, Naruto stepped in front of him, blocking his passage. Lee glared at him.

"I get him first," Naruto said. "This weirdo is mine."

"Go for it," Sasuke said seriously.

"Naruto!" Sakura complained.

Akira simply leaned against a post and watched on. Maybe this would be entertaining.

"What? It'll take me two minutes to get this guy begging for mercy."

"No, thank you," Lee said simply. "Right now, the only one I will fight is Sasuke Uchiha."

"Yeah, well I got news for you!" Naruto shouted, getting angrier. "Neither Sasuke or Akira can compare to me. Believe it!"

Naruto charged at Lee with a war cry, and Lee positioned himself to face the yellow-haired boy. Naruto leaped forward and went in to punch him, but Lee, without any discernible effort, simply tapped two fingers onto the back of Naruto's hand and gently shoved him away, making Naruto skid across the room and smack his head into the wall. He was knocked out cold. Akira rose an eyebrow. Rock Lee did nothing of significance, and yet Naruto is across the room. This boy's taijutsu was impeccable. Lee positioned himself to face Sasuke again.

"Just accept it. You have no chance against me. Your skills are inferior. You see Akira and Sasuke, out of all the Leaf Genin, I am the best," Lee said. "Fight me, Uchiha, and I will prove it to you."

"Hm, this'll be fun. Let's do it," Sasuke said with a cocky smile.

"There's no time, Sasuke," Sakura said after looking at the clock on the wall. "We've got to register by 3pm - that's less than half an hour."

"Relax, this will all be over in five seconds," Sasuke said.

"Don't overestimate yourself, Sasuke," Akira said in a sing-sing voice. But she continued seriously, looking straight at Lee. "And never underestimate your opponent."

"Calm down, Akira. I'll waste this dork."

"Suit yourself."

Akira sighed just as Sasuke departed, running at Rock Lee who remained as still as ever. Sasuke launched his fist at Lee, but the green-clad boy vanished before his eyes, reappearing above Sasuke mere moments later. He struck down at Sasuke with his feet, multiple blows in rapid succession that Sasuke only barely managed to block. Akira stared at his movements. He was fsater than Sasuke, he was faster than her. If this was a real fight, Akira would use her Sharingan to see his movements, but nor for this. Rock Lee was an opponent she'd face later on, it wasn't smart to reveal her tricks this early. She wouldn't reveal her Sharingan or her water abilities until absolutely necessary. Akira frowned. Sasuke was different. She wouldn't be surprised if he'd use his Sharingan here just to prove a point. It was stupid, but it was definitely a Sasuke kind of move.

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke was suddenly sent flying across the room after Lee faked producing a jutsu which distracted him. He had his guard up, but Lee went right through it. Akira sighed. She'd told Sasuke not to underestimate him. But there was something different about Lee that Sasuke probably couldn't see since he was too occupied with battling him. Akira could see it, Sakura probably could too. Rock Lee was using pure taijutsu, nothing else. He was faking any other kind of jutsu. Even if Akira or Sasuke used their Sharingan on him, if they couldn't match his speed, seeing his movements was useless. Akira hoped Sasuke didn't reveal his Sharingan for this. It was futile.

"I've been waiting to try this out," Sasuke said with a small smirk.

"Sasuke..." Akira said in a warning tone.

But it was too late. Sasuke's eyes were as red as blood. Akira sighed, but her eyes widened when she took a closer look. Last time Akira saw Sasuke's Sharingan was when they were training at home, and he only had one tomoe in his right eye. Now there were two. Akira's had always had two in each eye, but Sasuke's had improved. Did his Sharingan fully grow to the second stage when he was fighting Haku?

As Akira predicted, the Sharingan was useless. Sasuke ran at Lee again, swaying away from Sasuke's attack and kicking straight in the chin, sending him flying backwards. Sakura ran over to catch him before he fell hard on the ground. Akira looked back at Lee, impressed.

"Ugh, what kind of jutsu is that!?" Sasuke growled, getting away from Sakura and lunging at Lee once more.

"It isn't a jutsu, Sasuke," Akira said. "That's why he's getting through."

"Akira is right. You see, my technique is neither ninjutsu or genjutsu," Lee said, attacking Sasuke and getting in a few blows. He knocked Sasuke back into the wall. "You get it now? I am using taijutsu. That means no tricks, Sasuke." Lee suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Sasuke. "It is just straight martial arts, nothing more."

"Why you-"

Sasuke went to hit Lee, but he jumped out of the way quite easily.

"I know your technique. Forget it. Your sister was smart - useless fighting, especially against arrogant people, allows the opponent to see your jutsu. You have pride, I knew you would reveal your tricks. I know about your Sharingan, now," Lee said. "I know your Sharingan can see through your opponents jutsu. It allows you to see your enemy's chakra and decipher his hand signs and movements. You can guess what he is going to do almost before he knows himself. The problem is, taijutsu is a little bit different."

"Right. So what's your point?" Sasuke said, annoyed.

"I do not try to hide or disguise my moves. I do not have to. Even if you can read them, you still cannot stop them. You are too slow. Your eyes might be quick enough to stay one step ahead of me, but if your body cannot keep up it is useless."

Sasuke growled.

"You know what? Here is what I believe. There are two different kinds of ninja, those like you who are born with talent and do not have to work at it, and those like me." Sasuke lunged at Lee again. "The ones who have to train every day of our lives." Le evaded a punch from Sasuke. "Fact is, your Sharingan is the worst match for my extreme taijutsu! Here is what I mean!"

Lee dashed forward and kicked Sasuke straight in the chest, sending him flying across the room again. This time however, Lee didn't just let him fly off. He disappeared from view and reappeared right underneath Sasuke, floating in parallel with him. Suddenly, the bandages around his hands began to unravel. Akira's eyes widened. That was the Dancing Leaf Shadow. That move lead to... No. Lee couldn't know that - it was forbidden!

"Lee!" a voice suddenly rang through the dojo.

Lee groaned and left Sasuke's side, leaving the Uchiha to fly through the air. Akira wasted no time in dashing over to her brother, as fast as she could, to catch him before he landed. If Sasuke landed from his position, he'd be in the hospital for days. Akira sent chakra to her feet and jumped up, pushing herself off the floor with so much force that the wooden floor dented and shards were sent flying up. Akira caught Sasuke with surprising softness, and landed equally as gracefully with Sasuke in her arms. She helped him sit.

"You good?" Akira asked, looking at Sasuke, concerned. He said nothing, glaring at the floor. She spoke sternly, "Are you good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sasuke replied, annoyed.

"Great. Now I can say I told you so."

"Akira!"

Akira smiled and stuck her tongue out at her brother, then stood up and turned to where Lee was. She saw that Naruto was awake, looking dumbfounded, but Lee had changed places and was now being scolded by-

"A turtle?" Sasuke said, confused.

"You - You were watching us the whole time?" Lee told the turtle.

"And now he's talking to the turtle," Akira stated, perplexed.

"Of course. That last technique is forbidden. You know that," the turtle said.

"The turtle... talks?" Sakura and Akira said simultaneously.

"I am sorry," Lee said.

"Wait, it makes sense if it's a summon," Akira noted.

"Ohhh," Sakura whispered in realization.

"Ah! I was not planning to use a forbidden jutsu," Lee shouted, suddenly scared, uselessly flailing his arms. "It is just, I was in the middle of the fight, and I mean - you understand!?"

"Hey guys!" Naruto said, appearing beside Sakura, Sasuke and Akira in a flash. "That weird thing he's talking to is a turtle, right?"

"Obviously, what do you think it is!?" Sakura shouted.

"Okay then, maybe that means turtles can be sensei too!"

"Naruto... That's a summon," Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Lee's sensei probably summoned it - that means he's nearb- oh, god..."

In a cloud of smoke, a man appeared, striking a rather ridiculous pose as he stood on top of the turtle. Exactly like Lee, the man had a shiny bowl-cut and remarkably thick eyebrows. He also wore a green jumpsuit, orange leg warmers, and his Leaf bandanna around his waist like a belt. The only difference in attire was that the man wore a standard Konoha flak jacket. It was like seeing an older version of Lee. Akira would be lying if she said she wasn't a little disturbed.

"Hey! What's shakin'?" the man shouted, still posing. "How you doin' everybody? Life treatin' you good?"

Akira, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura all shouted in fear.

"He's got the biggest eyebrows yet!" Naruto yelled. "They'e almost alive!"

"Hello, ladies," he said, winking in Akira and Sakura's direction.

"Too weird," Sakura whimpered.

"So that's where Lee gets all... that, from," Akira said, eyes wide.

"Same soup bowl haircut and even bushier brows!" Naruto added.

"Hey!" Lee shouted, violently turning around and getting angry. "Do not insult Guy-sensei! He is one of the greatest men in the entire world!"

"Well, excuse me for not not noticing his greatness! I was too busy watching him crawl out from underneath a turtle!"

"He did not crawl out!"

"Give it a rest, Lee," Guy-sensei said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Yes, sir," Lee said, calmly turning back to the turtle on which his sensei was standing on.

"Now, for your punishment for intending to use a forbidden jutsu!" Guy-sensei yelled dramatically, then punched Lee in the face, sending him flying. "You little fool!"

Team seven screamed again. Guy-sensei walked over to Lee who was sprawled out on the ground and knelt down in front of him. Lee sat up to face him.

"I'm sorry, Lee, but it's for your own good."

"Sen - Sensei..."

Suddenly both men started to cry, dramatically staring into each other's eyes. Akira stared on, eyes wide, both scared and confused about their behavior. She blinked a few times. They were still there. It wasn't a dream. Those two really were that weird. Akira suddenly had the urge to run away screaming.

"Oh, Lee..."

"Oh, Sensei... I am so sorry!"

"It's all right. It's over. You don't need to say any more," Guy said through tears.

All of a sudden Lee ran into Guy-sensei's arms and they shared an embrace.

"I cannot put into words how creeped out I am at the moment," Akira said, frozen in place. Everyone else gagged.

"You know, it's actually kinda sweet the way they're all huggy and stuff," Naruto said.

Akira didn't hesitate and smacked him upside the head without even looking.

"What!?" Sakura shouted. "You've got to be kidding me? They're totally crazy!"

"You're just caught in between," Guy said dramatically, placing a hand on Lee's head. Akira's face softened as she remembered Kakashi-sensei did that too, but only for a split second, until she remembered she was staring at Guy. "You're too old to be called a boy and not quite yet a man."

"You are too good to me, Guy-sensei," Lee said, still crying.

"Now that off!" Guy said, pointing to the training field outside. "I want you to give me 100 laps around the practice field. Show me what you got!"

"Yes, sir! No problem!"

"Run into the setting sun. Run and suffer. But don't mess up your hair," Guy said. "Let us go!"

"But the sun isn't even setting," Akira muttered, confused.

"You're more concerned about the sun not setting!?" Sakura shouted.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Naruto yelled. "We're not finished here! You guys can't just take off like that!"

"And what about the Chūnin exams? There's no time for fooling around?" Sakura reasoned.

Guy and Lee stopped walking.

"Uh, oh, right, I forgot about that," Guy said, awkwardly rubbing he back of his neck. He cleared his throat. "Lee, you not only disobeyed the rule against fighting, but you've also disrupted the Chūnin exams. I think that warrants a slightly more severy punishment, don't you think?"

"Yes, sir!" Lee said, saluting Guy as if he were a drill sergeant.

"Let's say 500 laps! How does that sound?"

"Outstanding, sir!"

Akira, Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto looked at Guy-sensei and Lee incredulously, as if they were some kind of alien species. It was probably the first time that all four of them were on the same page about something.

"They're insane," Sakura said, exasperated.

"Definitely," Akira agreed.

"Nevermind them," Naruto said. "What's the deal with that turtle, anyway?"

"Guys, he's looking at us..."

"Ah! Akira's right, he is!" Sakura shouted, recoiling.

"Tell me, how is Kakashi-sensei?" Guy asked.

"Do you know him?" Sasuke asked, uneasy.

"Do I know Kakashi?" Guy laughed. "Well, people say... he and I are archrivals for all eternity."

An obnoxious snort forced itself up Akira's nose and throat and she couldn't hide it. The snort then became laughter, so much laughter that Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke had to snap her out of it when she started to stop breathing.

"There's just..." Akira snorted again. "There's just no way!"

"How dare you!?" Lee shouted, waving his fist in front of his face. "If Guy-sensei says it is true, then-"

"Let it slide, Lee. A ninja's actions always speak louder than words."

Akira made the mistake of blinking. When her eyes reopened, Guy-sensei was nowhere to be found. 'Just like Lee,' she thought with a smile. However, he reappeared seconds later, right behind them, in a puff of smoke. The entirety of team seven shuddered at his proximity.

"My record is 50 wins and 49 losses, which is one better than his, by the way," he said.

"What!?" Akira gasped. "You're joking. How can you be better than Kakashi-sensei!?"

"The fact is that I'm stronger than Kakashi," Guy said proudly. "And faster."

"Faster and stronger doesn't necessarily mean, better," Akira said defiantly.

"No! Guy-sensei is the best there is!" Lee argued.

"Keep telling yourself that," Akira mumbled to herself.

There was no doubt this Guy was fast, faster than Kakashi even. But there was no way she'd ever admit or believe that this idiot in a green jumpsuit was better than her sensei. Kakashi might not be the fastest out there, but Akira knew a great person when she saw one. And Guy-sensei was just... weird.

"I'm sorry for the trouble Lee caused you," Guy said. "Look into my eyes and accept my sincerest apology. Also notice my handsome manly features."

"Don't mind if I don't," Akira said under her breath.

"Lee, you should accompany these fine young ninjin to the classroom, right now. Remember, give it your best! Lee, farewell!"

"Yes, sir!"

With another cloud of smoke, Guy-sensei was gone, the turtle following suit. Akira let out a short breath of relief; half of the weirdness was gone, but the initial one remained. Was Lee really going to escort them to class like little first years? They knew where the class was, they didn't need a babysitter.

"Hey, Sasuke, Akira," Lee said. Both Uchiha turned towards him. "Actually, I have not been totally honest with you. I said I wanted to test my skills, and that is true enough. But you two are not really the ones I wanted to test them against."

Akira and Sasuke frowned at him. 'Good thing I didn't fight him, then,' Akira thought.

"I lied to you when Sasuke and I were fighting before. I told you I am the best Genin here, but there is another top ninja, someone on my own team."

Akira couldn't picture that girl being much of a threat, but the boy with Hinata's eyes? He looked like trouble. If he was related to her, if he was a Hyuga like her, then this boy was a definite obstacle to overcome.

"I came here to defeat him. You were just practice," Lee said. He looked at Akira. "Unfortunately, I did not get all the practice I wanted."

"Sorry for not being hot-headed like Sasuke, over here," Akira said sarcastically.

"But now, that makes you both targets. I will crush you. There you have it. Consider yourself warned."

With that Lee summersaulted back up to the balcony and out of sight, leaving behind a few fuming Uchiha. Of course, Sasuke was angered by his defeat, but Akira was more concerned with the fact this kid was actually good, that she knew she couldn't beat him. She'd have to train for years before she got that good.

"Oh, Sasuke," Sakura sighed. She looked at Akira, then cast her gaze downwards.

"Heh, how about that?" Naruto chuckled. "Looks like the Uchihas aren't as great as everybody thinks they are."

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, balling her fist and brandishing it in front of his face.

Akira's fist clenched at her side. Naruto said some pretty careless things sometimes, and she let them pass, but no one insulted her clan. No one insulted what she lived for - she looked at Sasuke - what she loved. Her body began to tremble with rage.

"Next time, I'll drive him to his knees!" Sasuke growled.

"Yeah, right. Look who just got his butt kicked. And Akira didn't even want to fight him. A waste of time, huh?" Naruto said arrogantly.

"Cut it out, Naruto!" Sakura shouted at him.

"You saw his hands, didn't you? When he took off the bandages?"

Now that Akira thought about it, she did. It hadn't registered until now. Lee's hands were all beaten up underneath the bandages; they were bruised, scraped and cut - there were even stitches. Akira looked at her own hands which were covered with her finger-less gloves. He was like her. Or she was like him. But both of them trained until their bodies gave in, until blood was visible. Akria remembered the last time she trained like that - Kiba had to pull her away from the training posts she was beating on relentlessly.

"I bet old bushy-brow has been training until he drops, day in and out," Naruto said. He glanced at the Uchiha. "He trains harder than you."

Akira growled, her nails digging into the palms of her hands. She'd had enough. Without much thought and pure action, Akira violently pulled off her gloves and threw them at Naruto's face. When they fell at his feet, Akira's equally battered hands were out in the open. She was furious. How dare he underestimate her? How dare he say things like that about her when he had no idea? She trained day in and day out too, just so that she could prove herself. She wanted to be better than Sasuke. She wanted to be better than Sasuke to prove to her father that she was just as good as him despite not learning Fire jutsu.

"Do you see these!?" she shouted, near hysteric. "Huh? Do you see them or are you blind? How's that for day in and out?" Akira paused, waiting for a response. When she got nothing was surprised looks, she continued: "You want to see my ankles, too? I don't just punch thing until I bleed, I kick them too!" Frantic, Akira kicked off her standard ninja sandals and threw them at Naruto as well. Her ankles were all sorts of colours; red, purple, blue, yellow - all bruises in various stages of healing. They were scraped, punctured by shards of wood.

"You know what I want, Naruto? I want some recognition for my all my hard work, no different from you. I have no goals to become Hokage or kill the person who wiped out my clan, I have a goal to reach my fullest potential. Do you think I do that by sitting on my ass?" Akira put her shoes back on, but merely stared at her fists, gloved on the floor. "Chūnin exams... this is my chance to prove to everyone what I can do, what I can achieve. So by all means, insult me or my clan, but do it when you have something to back it up, Naruto Uzumaki. School's out, recess is over. Time to grow up."


	22. Room 301

Akira suddenly became nervous as she and her teammates approached room 301. While she was excited and eager to start proving herself to others, she was also scared that she'd have to fight someone stronger than she was and consequently fail to become a Chūnin. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in her abilities, it's that she didn't know what kind of tricks the proctors, as well as the other contestants, had up their sleeves. Who knew if others were going to cheat their way through the exams, or worse, kill their way through the exams. Akira probably had to go head to head with other ninja, of course, but the question remained: were they allowed to kill? And if they were, would the instructors stop the death blow to save as many lives as possible?

Akira snapped out of her thoughts and daze when she saw Kakashi-sensei standing in front of door 301. Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and Akira stopped a few feet from him, and Kakashi smiled at them.

"Glad you came, Sakura, for your sake and the other's," he said.

"Huh?" the four Genin chorused, confused.

"Now, you can all formally register for the Chūnin exams."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"You see, only full groups are allowed to apply for, and take the exam," Kakashi-sensei said. "That's the way it's always been."

"But Sensei, you said that the decision to take the exam was up to the individual."

"That's right. I did."

"Was that a lie?"

"Sort of," Kakashi said, glancing sideways. "It is an individual decision, but it affects the entire team. I didn't tell you before, Sakura, because I didn't want the others pressuring you."

Akira, Sasuke and Naruto nodded in agreement.

"At the same time, I didn't want you to feel obliged to participate, because of any feelings you might have for Sasuke, Naruto and Akira. I wanted you to come to a decision of your own free will."

"Wait a minute," Akira said, frowning. "Do you mean, if everyone showed up except for Sakura-"

"It would have been the end of the line. If Sakura hadn't come, I couldn't let you, Sasuke or Naruto in." Kakashi stuffed his hands in his pockets. "But it's a moot point. You're all here, and for the right reasons; Sakura." The pink-haired girl smiled. "Naruto." The knucklehead ninja chuckled. "Sasuke." The stoic Uchiha smirked. "And Akira." The girl smiled and put two fingers to her forehead and waved them in a small salute. "I'm proud of you," Kakashi said with a closed-eye smile. "I couldn't ask for a better team." He stepped to the side, clearing the way to the doors. "Good luck."

"We won't let you down, Sensei!" Naruto said loudly as he passed Kakashi.

"It's not that we won't disappoint, Naruto, it's that we can't - we're too good!" Akira smiled brightly.

Kakashi ruffled her hair as she passed. Akira swatted his hand away, laughing, and approached the doors with the rest of her team. With Sasuke and Akira on one door, and Sakura and Naruto on the other, team seven pushed open the large white doors to room 301, ready do enter a new world: the Chūnin exams. The doors had barely closed behind her when Akira's eyes narrowed. There were hundreds of people in the classroom, sitting at an equal amount of seats. Some were standing, others were sitting on the ground or on the tables, but every single one of them had turned their heads towards the door that had just opened. Akira subconsciously straightened and lifted her head in either contempt, pride or both. In any case, it made people stare at her more. Confidence from a rookie? That was something to crush.

"Wha - What's this?" Naruto stuttered, scared and confused.

"Gee, I guess we're not alone," Sakura said, sounding quite worried.

Akira put her game-face on. Not only did she stand as tall as she could and lift her head up pridefully, but she crossed her arms and gazed in contempt at anyone who dared to look at her. While she did look quite indifferent to most people, others, the ones who were just as nervous as Naruto and Sakura were, looked at her and shrunk a little, worried to see a rookie with so much confidence. If a rookie was confident, there was something to watch out for. Sasuke seemed to be doing the same thing, gazing coolly at everyone in the room, sizing them up. Well, that was until Ino happened.

"Sasuke, where've you been!?" she squealed, jumping on Sasuke's back; he glared at her. Akira raised an eyebrow and moved away, sticking her back to the wall. "Boy, you have no idea how much I was hoping you'd show up here. I've missed those brooding good looks of yours."

"Ino, don't make me gag," Akira groaned.

"Hey, you porker! Back off! He's mine!" Sakura shouted angrily.

"Miss Forehead! They let you in?" Ino said. "Still got those big frown lines on your billboard brow, I see."

"Leave my forehead out of it!"

"Oh, it's you guys," a voice said to Akira's right. She turned her head and suppressed a smile.

"Hey, Shikamaru," Akira greeted calmly. He looked at her and smirked.

"I knew this was gonna be a drag," Shikamaru said, walking over to her. "I guess it'll kind of be better with you around here."

"I'm not getting involved with..." Akira gestured waved dismissively at Ino and Sakura. "That."

"So all three stooges are here," Naruto commented.

"Hey, you know what pipsqueak?" Shikamaru said, annoyed. But he sighed and continued in a bored tone, "Ah, forget it. You're a waste of time."

Akira breathed a small laugh. 'Leave it up to Shikamaru to be too lazy to tell someone off,' she thought. Akira heard munching all of a sudden, and she sighed when she saw Choji Akimichi. Akimunchi was more like it. He'd probably eat his own head if he could. The sound of approaching footsteps made Akira look away from Choji, to ahead of her. Akira smiled this time.

"Well, well, what do you know? Looks like the whole gang is back together again," Kiba said, smirking, looking overconfident as usual, with Akamaru lying down on his giant hood.

"Hey, Kira," Kai said, smiling brightly at her. "Almost didn't see you back there."

"I'm trying to avoid being seen with these people," Akira groaned, nodding towards Ino and Sakura.

"Kira? Kira! I didn't even see you!" Kiba said loudly as he walked over to her. He swung an arm around her shoulders. "Admit it; you're only here to try and prove yourself to me, aren't you?"

"Self-centered as usual, aren't you?"

"Oh. Hi, Naruto," Hinata's soft voice said.

When Naruto looked at her, she blushed and turned away, making the yellow-haired ninja frown in confusion. Shikamaru sighed, slouching on the wall beside Akira.

"You guys too, huh?" he said, almost groaning. "Man, everyone's here for this stupid thing."

"Yup, here we all are: the eleven rookies," Kiba laughed. He squeezed Akira's shoulder's tighter. "This is gonna be fun. At least, for those of us good enough to make the cut. Right, Akira, Sasuke?"

"Kiba, careful you don't get over confident," Sasuke said, smirking.

"Just wait, we're gonna blow you guys away! We've been training like crazy."

"What do you think we've been doing? Sitting on our asses?" Akira said, looking up at her friend with a raised eyebrow. "You have no idea what training is, Kiba."

"Uh, don't mind Kiba," Hinata said, looking everywhere but at Naruto. "I'm sure he didn't really mean anything by it."

"Huh?" Naruto said, looking at Hinata again. As usual, she blushed and looked at her feet.

Another set of footsteps rang in Akira's ear and she looked in the direction of the sound. Akira raised an eyebrow and stared at the approaching ninja. A man a few years older than the rookies was walking calmly towards them, a serious look on his face. He had large round glasses in front of gleaming onyx eyes and ash-grey hair which was tied at the base of his head. He was wearing a dark purple with pants of the same colour, divided by a waistband of white cloth. A white undershirt poked out from the sleeveless purple shirt.

"Hey, you guys," he called to the rookies. "You might wanna try keeping it down a little. I mean, no offense, but you're the eleven rookies, right? Fresh outta the Academy? I wouldn't go making a spectacle out of yourselves. Just cool it. This isn't a class field trip."

"You think?" Akira muttered sarcastically.

"Well who asked you?" Ino complained. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kabuto Yakushi. But really, look around you. You've made quite an impression."

Akira didn't need to look to know that every single ninja in the room was glaring at them. She made a point to appear not to care. In reality however, having a target on your back this early in the game wasn't a good sign.

"See those guys?" Kabuto continued. "They're from the Rain Village. Very touchy. They all are. This exam makes everyone tense, and you don't want to rub them the wrong way right now."

"Nuh uh," Sakura said, looking nervously to her left.

"You can't help it. I mean, how could you know how things work? You're just rookies."

"Means you've been here before," Akira commented. "What does that say about you, I wonder?"

Kabuto chuckled and smiled a little.

"You remind me of myself a while back," he said.

"Kabuto, right? I'm assuming this isn't the first time you've taken the exam," Akira said, still staring at the man.

"Heh, no..." Kabuto said with a disparaging smile. "It's my seventh."

"Say what now?" Shikamaru said, looking at Kabuto with a dumbfounded expression.

"Well, they're held twice a year. So this'll be my fourth year."

"Wow, a veteran!" Sakura said, sounding impressed. "You must be an expert by now."

"Yeah... Sort of."

"Cool!" Naruto said, smiling. "You can give us all the inside tips!"

"Yeah, some expert," Shikamaru said sarcastically. "He's never passed."

"Well, seventh time's the charm," Kabuto said, smiling awkwardly while rubbing the back of his neck. The word 'cute' popped into Akira's mind. She frowned and shook it off. "That's what they say, huh?"

"So I guess all those rumors about the exam being tough are true, then." Shikamaru sighed. "Oh man, I knew this was gonna be a drag."

"Hang on. Don't give up just yet. Maybe I can help you kids out a little..." Kabuto retrieved a pack of orange cards from his pocket. "With my ninja info cards."

"What the heck are those?" Sakura asked.

"It's hard to explain, but these cards have been chakra encoded with everything I've learned over the past four years," Kabuto said. He sat on the ground and placed the deck of cards before him. "I've got over two hundred of them. So you see, I haven't been completely wasting my time. They may not look like much to the naked eye. In fact, they appear blank," Kabuto said flipping a card over. It was indeed paper-white. "Don't want just anyone seeing this stuff."

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked as Kabuto began spinning the flipped card with his forefinger.

"You see, I'm using my chakra to reveal their secrets, like this for example."

Suddenly, upon the blank card appeared a map with green bars of various lengths on it. Akira frowned and leaned forward, away from Kiba and the wall, curious.

"A map?" she said, looking down at the card.

"Of what?" Ino asked.

"It shows the geographical distribution of all the candidates who have come to take the Chūnin exams," Kabuto said. "What villages they come from, and how many from each village." Kabuto looked up at the rookies. "Why do you think they all come here to take the exam together, at the same time?"

"Some weird friendship fostering scam, probably," Akira said, sounding bored. "International brotherhood and whatnot."

"The scam part isn't that far off," Kabuto admitted. "You see, the important thing is that this way, they can carefully regulate the total number of shinobi that end up in each village, thereby maintaining the balance of power."

"Way to go, conspiracy theorist," Kiba teased. Akira glared at him.

"Oh, yeah, balance of power," Naruto commented, obviously pretending he understood what was going on.

"Balance of power. Big deal. It's all a drag," Shikamaru complained.

"If the balance of power isn't maintained," Kabuto said, "one nation could wind up with many more shinobi than its neighbors, and it might be tempted to attack them. So, they try to maintain the status quo. Makes sense, I suppose."

"Do those cards of yours have any info on the other candidates, individually?" Sasuke asked.

Akira's mind immediately went to Gaara. Ever since their encounter with him, with that gaze of his, Akira couldn't help but wonder what kind of tricks were up that kid's sleeve.

"They might," Kabuto said. "You have someone special in mind?"

"I might," Sasuke said, glaring at Kabuto.

"I can't promise my information is complete or perfect, but I've got something on just about everyone, including you guys of course. So, which one is it?"

"Gaara of the Desert," Akira said before Sasuke could. He gave her a meaningful look. "And Rock Lee of the Leaf Village, while you're at it."

"You know their names? Well, that makes it easier." Kabuto ran a hand over his deck of cards and plucked two from it. He spun the first card. "First is Rock Lee. Looks like he's about a year older than you guys. Mission experience is eleven C-Ranks and 20 D-ranks. His squad leader is Guy. In the last twelve months his taijutsu skills have radically improved, but his other skills are pretty shaky. His teammates are Tenten and Neji Hyuga."

Akira's pupils dilated and contracted ever-so-slightly, and her fists clenched a little. The boy with Hinata's eyes... he was a Hyuga. That meant trouble.

"Okay, now for Gaara of the Desert." Kabuto spun the second card. "Mission experience is eight C-Ranks and - get this - one B-Rank as a Genin. There's not a lot more information on this guy. He was a rookie from another land, originally, but there is this: he survived every single mission without getting a scratch on him."

Akira frowned. The mission she had in the Land of Waves was probably a B-Rank or even an A-Rank mission, and it wasn't even supposed to be; what was this kid's excuse? And not a single scratch? There was something about this kid Akira wasn't sure she liked.

"This dude's done a B-Rank as a Genin and didn't even get hurt?" Shikamaru said in disbelief.

"What's the deal with this guy?" Naruto asked, equally as shocked.

"Leaf, Sand, Rain, Grass, Waterfall, Sound," Kabuto enumerated after he'd spun another card, revealing another map. "From the looks of it, they've all sent exceptionally skilled candidates to the exam this time around. Of course, the Hidden Sound Village is small. It sprang up recently. No one knows anything about it. Those guys are a mystery." Kabuto put his cards away and stood. "Well, you get the point. The competition is gonna be intense this year."

"So it would seem," Hinata said quietly. "It's almost enough to make you lose your confidence."

"It's a fine time to start talking like that!" Ino shouted.

"Shut up, Ino," Akira sighed, much to the blonde's contempt. She turned to Kabuto. "Do you honestly think it will be harder this time?"

"Oh, yeah," Kabuto said without a beat. "In the four years I've been coming, I've never seen a crop of candidates with as much potential as this bunch. It seems we have our work cut out for us..."


	23. To Cheat or Not to Cheat

Once again, Naruto made things worse.

The exams hadn't even begun and the eleven rookies were already public enemie number one; they were young, loud and confident, not something veterans liked. They didn't think much of them, of course, but a tiny sliver of talent could ruin everything. Couldn't have little punks running around messing up their chances of becoming Chūnin.

Akira had tried to pass unnoticed immediately upon entering the room, but newcomers would always be stared at no matter what. It also didn't help that, just like Sasuke, she was nice to look at. However, she doubted that was a reason to be looked at. Right now, it was because of Naruto that the rookies were the center of attention. A few seconds ago he was shaking, head hanging low, Akira thought he was going to cry, but she should have known better. Because when he raised his head, instead of crying he swerved towards the crowd of candidates and pointed at them confidently.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm gonna beat every one of you!" Naruto yelled. "Believe it!"

"Hey! What's that idiot trying to do, get us killed?" Ino shouted at Sakura. "Tell your boyfriend to keep his big fat trap shut!"

"Whose boyfriend!?" Sakura countered, waving her fist at Ino.

"Oh, I forgot. You can't get one!"

"What'd you say!?"

"Give me the strength not to punch them," Akira sighed.

"Tell me about it," Kai said, walking over to his best friend. "Feels like a circus in here."

"Uh, can you say that a little louder?" Kiba said, trying not to laugh. He went to on Akira's other side. "Didn't quite catch it."

"You moron. Are you trying to get everybody in the place to hate our guts, or what?" Shikamaru added.

Naruto only laughed and, despite herself, Akira couldn't help but smile a little. At least someone here wasn't intimidated by all the opponents in the room. That was one thing she loved about Naruto: he never backed down.

"Naruto, you jackass!" Sakura said, launching herself at him and putting Naruto in a choke-hold. "Why'd you have to go and do something like that you obnoxious little-" Sakura stopped herself when she saw all the people who were glaring at her and Naruto. "Oh, hi everyone. Don't mind him. Sometimes he says these spazzy things. He doesn't really mean them. They just kinda come out. He's got this condition you know. Sort of psychological-"

"Sakura," Akira called, only loud enough for it to reach her. The pink-haired girl cut herself off and turned to Akira. "You're making it worse. Shut up."

Suddenly, a quiet sound, like the whooshing of wind, reached Akira's ears and she looked ahead at the crowd, ignoring the ones who glared at her. Like a flash of lightning, she saw someone weave through the crowd, but she couldn't tell who. Her crossed arms moved a bit, her fingers itching towards the tachi strapped to her arms. Kabuto took a step forward. Akira glanced at him. It was faint, but he shook his head. The Uchiha's arms returned to their initial position just as a ninja from the crowd pounced at Kabuto. He threw two kunai at him, but Kabuto was quick enough to slide back and dodge them. Then a second ninja ran at him, and Akira saw his headband: he, and most likely the other, were from the Hidden Sound Village. He swung at Kabuto, but he dodged it narrowly. Akira smirked: he was almost as fast as she was. However, his glasses cracked all of a sudden. Akira's eyes widened a bit and she frowned looking at the attacker's arm. There was a porous metal gauntlet on his arm which Akira could now see since he'd pulled up his long sleeve.

"So it was that kind of attack," Kabuto said, seemingly un-phased as he calmly removed his cracked glasses.

"Hang on, I saw it all," Sasuke said, stepping forward. "He dodged the attack. How did that happen?"

"It must have come closer than it looked," Shikamaru reasoned.

But it hadn't, and Akira knew that. She was close enough to Kabuto to see every minute detail and the unknown sound ninja hadn't touched Kabuto at all. There was something else going on here.

"Look at him acting like it was nothing," Shikamaru complained. "Real tough guy."

Suddenly, Kabuto's eyes widened and he gasped, falling to his knees. Akira's eyes widened and, without much thought, she sprinted to his side. Her mind was working a million miles a minute. There had been an attack, but it was delayed. What kind of trick was this? Kabuto hurled and Akira looked up at the sound ninja, particularly his headband. Then it hit her. Sound. Sound waves traveled faster than the naked eye could see. That gauntlet of his was probably the biggest clue to the entire technique.

"Hey, Kabuto. You good?" Akira asked, gently placing a hand on his back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, sounding tired.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, he and Sakura joining Akira by Kabuto's side.

"Not such a tough guy after all, I guess," the sound ninja said through the bandages covering most of his face. The only thing you could see was his left eye. "Maybe that's why he's on his seventh try."

"Write this on your little cards," the sound ninja who threw the kunai said. "The Genin from the Hidden Sound Village will be Chūnin when this is over. Guaranteed."

Both Naruto and Sakura growled at the sound ninja, while Akira simply stared at his arm, trying to figure out how his sound technique, or sound jutsu, worked. She frowned. Had she used her Sharingan, she'd know by now. But using it unnecessarily like that wasn't the best decision. She'd have to be content that she knew this much about it already.

Just then, as Akira was helping Kabuto up, a smoke bomb erupted in the classroom and a tall man with a scarred face emerged from it. He glared at everyone there, standing steadily and proudly, his hands behind his back. Behind him were a number of other ninja, standing calmly. By the looks of them, they seemed to all be Jōnin.

"All right, you baby-faced degenerates!" he shouted. "Pipe down and listen up. It's time to begin. I'm Ibiki Morino, your proctor. And from this moment, your worst enemy."

There was a collective gasp from the crowd as they stared on at the scarred proctor.

"First, you candidates from the Village Hidden in the Sound, knock it off! Who told you you could fight? You wanna be failed before we've even begun?"

'Sheesh," Akira thought. 'This guy is strict.' Unconsciously, Akira stood straighter.

"Sorry, it's our first time," the ninja with the gauntlet said, sounding unconvincingly apologetic. "Guess we're a little jumpy... sir."

"I'll say this once, so listen up," Ibiki said sternly. "There will be no combat between candidates. No attacking without the permission of your proctor. And even then, the use of fatal for is strictly prohibited. Anyone who even thinks of messing with me will be disqualified immediately. Got it?"

"Hmpf, no fatal force?" the other sound ninja said. "That's no fun."

"Now, if we're ready, we'll proceed to the first stage of the Chūnin exam. Hand over your paperwork. In return you'll each be given a number. This number will determined where you will sit. We'll start with the written test once you're all seated."

"The what?" Naruto said, dumbfounded. "Did he say... 'written'?"

Kabuto, Sakura and Akira stared at him as Naruto got to his knees and yelled in despair.

"No! Not a written test, no way!"

"You'll do just fine, Naruto," Akira said, patting him gently on the shoulder. "Just trust in your abilities."

Akira then joined the formed line and headed up to the front to exchange her application form for a seat number. After looking at her designated number, she walked passed a few rows to get to her seat. She paused when she realised who she was sitting next to. Sitting at the edge of the table, seat 70, was Gaara of the Desert. Akira looked at her card again. She sighed nervously when she saw she definitely had the number 71. Akira took a deep breath to calm her quiet panic and walked over to her seat. She sat down without a word and didn't dare look at Gaara, simply keeping her midnight blue eyes to the front where Ibiki now stood alone. The rest of the ninja he had with him were seated all around the candidates taking the exam at fixed intervals. Akira assumed they were there to make sure no one cheated.

"Everyone, eyes front," Ibiki said, tapping the black board with a piece of chalk. "There are a few rules you need to be aware of. And I won't answer any questions. So you better pay attention the first time around."

'Fair enough,' Akira thought. 'If we're going to become Chūnin, we shouldn't need to ask questions.'

"All right, rule number one is this: the written part of the exam is conducted on a point reduction system. You all begin the exam with a perfect score of ten, and for each answer you get wrong, you loose one point. So if you miss three, your final score will be seven. If you miss ten, your score will be zero. Rule number two: teams will pass or fail based on the total scores of all members."

Akira's eyes widened and automatically found Naruto in the crowd. He was the worst at written tests. This could definitely harm her chances at passing this test.

"What? What a second!" Akira heard Sakura yell. "You're saying we all get scored as a team!?"

"Silence!" Ibiki yelled. "I have my reasons, so shut up and listen. Rule number three: the sentinels you see positioned around the room are there to watch you carefully for any signs of cheating. And for every incident they spot, they will subtract two points from the culprits score."

Akira frowned. Subtract points? Why not just fail them on the spot?

"Be warned. Their eyes are extremely sharp. And if they catch you five times, you'll be dismissed before the test is even scored. Anyone fool enough to be caught cheating by the sentinels doesn't deserve to be here. If you want to be considered shinobi, then show us what exceptional shinobi you can be."

Akira gasped quietly. It all made sense.

"One more thing. Should any candidate get zero points and fail the test, then the entire team fails."

Akira's forehead suddenly dropped to her desk in despair. She would kill Naruto if he didn't get at least one question right.

"The final question won't be given out until fifteen minutes before the end of the testing period. You'll have one hour total."

Akira raised her head and grabbed her pencil. She saw Gaara's hand reach for his and she turned to look at him. He glanced sideways at her, and they held each other's gaze for a few seconds, until Akira spoke and looked down at her exam:

"Good luck, Gaara."

She saw Gaara turn his head towards her in the corner of her eye, but she paid no attention to him because the second his head was turned in her direction, the proctor announced the start of the hour they had to complete the exam. Akira flipped over her paper and stared at all the questions, one at a time, to see what kind of exam this was. Akira frowned. The exam contained only integrated problems based on principles of uncertainty and required complex mechanical energy analysis. There couldn't be more than a handful of students in this room, as well as herself, that understood these. She wasn't even sure that Sasuke would understand them. At least she understood how she'd pass this exam, and she hoped that the rest of her team did too.

It was strange that they made such a fuss about cheating than the test itself. These sentinels watching the candidates' every move, trying to catch someone off-guard. That was another thing. Why only a two point deduction? Ordinarily, if someone was caught cheating even once, that was grounds for dismissal. However, if you listened to the proctors words carefully and exactly, you knew exactly what to do. The first part of the Chūnin exam was about much more than just the written test. Their real aim was not to test their knowledge, but their capabilities in information gathering. 'A ninja must see through deception,' Akira thought, recalling the many instances Kakashi-sensei had told team seven those exact words. Ibiki Morino wasn't actually forbidding the candidates from cheating, he was expecting them to, daring them to cheat and not get caught. Only exceptional shinobi could get away with it under these circumstances. Akira wondered how many people realised this. She looked at Naruto's back and clenched her fist around her pencil. For his sake and the team's, Akira hoped Naruto figured it out.

Akira sighed and listened, closing her eyes. If the real test was to gather information, that meant there was someone in this room from whom she had to steal it. That meant there was someone in this room who had all the information she needed. Her eyes opened, looking right behind Naruto. A ninja was writing consistently, without a beat. It was him. But to how to get the information... Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Gaara's hand gathering sand. Akira wasn't surprised, it was inevitable that he'd figured it out. The sand he was gathering soon formed an eye and something clicked in Akira's head. Moments later, she was copying the target's movements using her Sharingan, jotting down the answers without even knowing what she was writing. It only took a few moments and Akira's page was full. All she had to do was wait for the tenth question. In the meantime however, everyone was graced with the dismissal of several students. Team by team they left, one of the members getting caught cheating more than five times. And if they refused to leave or argued, they were thrown out, literally. So far, thirteen teams had failed.

"All right, listen up!" Ibiki called. Akira looked up at him, determined. "Here's the tenth and final question! But before I give it to you, there are some more rules that you need to be aware of."

'More rules!?' Akira thought. 'Man, this guy loves to hear himself talk.'

"These rules are unique to question ten. Listen carefully and try not to be frightened by them. Rule number one: each of you is free to choose not to be given the final question. It's your decision."

"Woah, so what's the catch?" the Sand Village girl that stuck with Kankuro and Gaara said. "Let's say we decided not to take it. What happens then?"

"If you chose not to take the tenth question, regardless of your answers to the other nine, you'll get a zero. In other words, you fail," Ibiki said, and most of the class gasped. "And that means, of course, your teammates will fail as well."

There was scattered whispering throughout the room, scandalised that anyone would chose to fail. Akira frowned. There had to be something more to it. 'Nothing is at it seems,' Akira recalled. But they weren't words from Kakashi, they were from someone else...


	24. Tai Chi

***FYI, the large bit of text in Italic is a memory, for those who are too dumb to comprehend that. You may proceed to reading.***

* * *

 _Clouds dominated the morning sky leaving transitory patches of blue. Though they were mostly white there was a hint of greyness, a suggestion that rain may play a part in the day to come. Luckily for Akira, the skies cleared and she could go on with her training today as if there had never been a single grey cloud in the sky. She trained well into the evening, continuing her work with controlling the water from the lake with her chakra, even if Kakashi-sensei wasn't here. She couldn't expect him to be there all the time, after all._

 _Akira had dressed for a new kind of training. She was no longer in her usual attire, rather in long, loose, black pants that were fitted at the bottom and a loose fitted kimono-style shirt of the same colour. By combining the smooth and flowing movements of sun-style tai chi and her chakra control, Akira trained all day, making a long strand of water flow with her movements. Her loose fitted clothing moved with her and the light breeze as she slowly punched and kicked at the air, making the water spin into a ball at the ends of her arms and legs every time they stopped. Her arms arched and waved in classic tai chi poses, trying to remain concentrated on keeping the water flowing. It was almost like a dance, a harmonious dance between nature and woman. Akira was graceful and poised, face completely relaxed and serene. There was no one but Akira and her water in that moment, following the rhythms of nature._

 _"Magnificent."_

 _At the sound of the voice, Akira didn't flinch. Instead, she continued her tai chi and, when she turned to face the person who was talking, she shot a kunai made of water towards the stranger. He deflected it and it exploded into little droplets of water, but Akira clenched her fist in front of her face which brought the water back together, and pulled her hand inwards, sending the kunai towards the back of the man's head. As if expecting it, he dodged it and it went straight to Akira, but she calmly put her palm in front of her face so that the kunai slowed down and balled itself up, spinning softly in the palm of her hand. She opened her hand and let the orb of water spin for a few seconds, then looked up at the person interrupting her training, flicking the orb of water back into the lake of training ground three._

 _He almost looked like belonged, here amongst the darkening forest. He was tall and looked to be only a little younger than Kakashi-sensei, probably in his early twenties. His face was charming what with his fair skin and high cheekbones, as well as the pale brown eyes that stared at Akira's own midnight blue ones. He had long, black hair which was held up in a ponytail, two locks loose and framing his face. The man wore a standard military outfit, but instead of the blues and greens of Konoha, it was charcoal grey and deep purple, pure white bandages wrapped around his ankles and wrists. She couldn't see a headband anywhere._

 _"Can I help you?" Akira said, nearly glaring at the man standing before her._

 _"Not particularly," the man replied in a soft, contained voice. "I was merely watching you train."_

 _"Could you not? I'd like to train alone."_

 _"Such a waste. To move the way you do and not be seen by the entire world."_

 _"Right. Look," Akira sighed, gathering up her things. "I'd love to stay and chat, get to know each other and form an unlikely friendship with some guy I don't know, but my mother taught me not to talk to strange men in the forest. So, if you'll excuse me."_

 _"You'll need to practice that technique of yours a lot more if you want to use it properly during the Chūnin exams," the man said as Akira began to walk away._

 _Akira paused and scolded herself quietly for doing it. Reluctantly, she turned around to face him. He was staring at her, smirking smugly. Akira couldn't help but glare at him._

 _"If you're going to be practicing tai chi, you need to loosen up."_

 _"Loosen - hey, I was loosened up!"_

 _"Not enough."_

 _"What are you - you know what? I'm leaving."_

 _"I could help you, you know," the man said, a little tauntingly._

 _"Help me? I have a sensei, you know," Akira said, annoyed. "I don't need another."_

 _The man chuckled and took a few steps towards Akira. She didn't dare move. For some reason, she didn't think running from him, or showing fear was a good idea. Instead, she crossed her arms and stared at him, glaring._

 _"Nothing is as it seems, during the Chūnin exams, my dear," the man said slowly. "Remember that."_

 _"I guess?" Akira replied, a little confused._

 _"If you ever change your mind about needing, or wanting, my help... Sit here and wait. I'll find you."_

 _"Wait! Who are you?"_

 _The man smiled and chuckled almost ominously. And then without a sound, he vanished into thin air right before Akira's eyes, leaving nothing behind but a faint imprint of where he stood. Akira quietly stared ahead for a few minutes, both scared and curious about the strange man she'd just met._

* * *

Akira snapped out of her daze, finding that she hadn't moved an inch from her seat in room 301. Ibiki Morino was still in the front talking about the exam, but it was like Akira couldn't hear him. All she could do was focus on what she'd just remembered. Akira had gone back after her encounter to practise her tai chi, and the more she thought about it now, the more she realized the strange man had been right. Sure her moves flowed decent enough, but she could do better. Some of her moves had been choppy, as if spliced together like some some bad video clip. The girl frowned. She didn't know the man, and yet... was she seriously considering going to see him? Learn from him? She couldn't, she didn't have to. She had Kakashi-sensei and he was more than a good teacher, plus he treated her properly, gave her and the team the praise they needed and such. But Akira had a weird feeling that that man could teach her so much more.

"Not so fast," Ibiki said, which finally drew Akira out of her thoughts. "You didn't let me finish. If you do accept the tenth question but answer incorrectly, you will not only fail, you will be barred from taking the Chūnin exam ever again!"

"Hey, that's bull, man!" Akira heard Kiba yelled. She turned towards his voice and, surely enough, he was standing up and pointing accusingly at the proctor. "That's ridiculous! What kind of bogus rule is that? There's lots of people here who have taken the test before!"

'See through deception... Nothing is as it seems...' Akira thought, frowning. There had to be a catch to this rule too.

"I guess you're just unlucky. I wasn't making the rules before, but I am now," Ibiki said. "Of course, if you don't want to take it, then you don't have to. If you're not feeling confident, then by all means, skip it. You can come back and try again next year."

Akira glared at the man. This was some kind of torture.

"Now, if you're ready. The tenth and final question. Those who don't want to take it, raise your hand. Your number will be recorded and then you're free to go."

Akira stared around at everyone, looking to see if there were any people who were going to chicken out. Just then, one person raised their hand. The teams' numbers were recorded and they left the classroom. A total of two teams had exited room 301 when Naruto stood up. Akira gasped and slammed her fist on the table, but before she could yell at him for thinking only for himself, he began yelling at the proctor.

"Don't underestimate me!" he shouted, and Akira couldn't resist smiling. Why would she ever think Naruto would back down? "I don't quit and I don't run. You can act tough all you want. Your guys aren't going to scare me off. No way! I don't care if I do get stuck as a Genin forever. I'll still be Hokage someday!"

"Way to go, Naruto," Akira whispered, smiling. "Don't ever back down to bullies."

"This decision is one that could change your life. If for any reason you would rather quit, now's your last chance," Ibiki said, ignoring Naruto.

Akira looked around. Everyone was smirking, either staring at Naruto or the proctor. It seemed that Naruto inspired a new found confidence in everyone. Hell, even Shikamaru was smiling. Ibiki looked to the ninja stationed around the classroom and they all nodded at each other.

"Well, then, I admire your determination, if nothing else. For those of you remaining there's only one thing left to do," Ibiki said. "And that's for me to tell you that you have all passed the first exam."

Akira raised an eyebrow.

"Hold on. What just happened?" Sakura said, standing up. "What do you mean, we passed? Where's the tenth question?"

Ibiki laughed and smiled broadly.

"There never was one. Not a written one, at least. Actually, your decision to stay was the answer to the tenth question."

"Huh?"

"Wait a second!" the sand ninja girl said. "So the other nine questions you gave us were just a waste of time! Is that what you're saying?"

"No, no not at all. Quite the opposite. The first nine questions had an important overriding purpose - to test your ability to surreptitiously gather strategic intelligence under the most adverse circumstances."

"Oh, well that clears up everything," the girl said sarcastically.

Akira smirked. So, even the big talk sand ninja didn't know what the test was about. Akira was sure that she'd still cheated, however.

"Let me explain," Ibiki said. "You see, my objective was to test you not only as individuals, but as a team, and on how well you function as a part of that team. That's why the test was scored on a team basis, so you'd know that everything you did, or failed to do, would directly effect your teammates. I wanted to see how you would handle the pressure."

"Figured," Akira sighed, propping her head up on hand.

"The first nine questions of the test were difficult. In fact, as you may have realized, too difficult for any Genin to be expected to solve. I imagine that most of you quickly came to that conclusion, that you'd have to cheat if you had any chance of passing. The fact is the test was designed to encourage cheating. It almost demanded it. Of course, it would have done you little good unless you had someone to cheat from, so I disguised two Chūnin who already knew the answers and had them sit in with you."

Two guys raised their arms and smiled. One of them was the guy she had copied movements from. Akira smiled: at least she'd get all the questions correctly if the proctor ever corrected the exam.

"Those who were caught at it failed. Better not to cheat than to cheat clumsily." Ibiki removed the bandanna covering his head and all the students gasped. His skull was covered with burn scars, cuts and wholes that had scarred over. "Information. It can be the most valuable weapon in battle. How well you gather intelligence can determine whether a mission is a failure or a success. There'll be times you'll have to risk your life to get it." Ibiki put in bandanna back on. "Of course, you must always consider the source of your information. Intelligence gathered from an enemy is not necessarily accurate. Always bear this in mind: disinformation can be worse than no information at all. It can lead to the death of comrades or the loss of a village. That's why I put you in the position where you had to gather accurate intelligence. Cheat in order to survive. And that's why those who weren't good enough at it were weeded out, leaving the rest of you."

"Okay, but I'm still not getting what the tenth question thing is all about," the sand ninja girl said.

"You're not? The tenth question was the main point of the exam. Surely, you see that."

"Sure," Sakura said. "But explain it anyway."

"As I said before, the goal was to test you not only as individuals, but as a part of a squad. The final question gave you two choices, both difficult. You could choose to play it safe and skip the question, though it meant that you and your teammates would be failed. Or you could try and answer it, knowing that if you got it wrong, you would lose your chance of ever becoming Chūnin. It was a no-win situation. But just the sort of situation Chūnin have to face almost every day."

The look in Akira's eyes changed and she sat up straight. There was determination in her eyes, an unparalleled focus. But there was also a hint of fear, of nervousness. She'd faced a no-win situation before, not that she could have done anything about it at the time. That's why she was going to become a Chūnin. To eradicate no-win situations as part of the Konoha Military Police.

"For example, let me give you a hypothetical mission," Ibiki continued. "To steal a document from an enemy stronghold. You have no idea how many ninja the enemy has or how heavily armed they are. Furthermore, you have reason to believe that the enemy expects you, that you very well may be walking blindly into a trap. Now do you have the option of taking a pass on this insane mission or say my comrades and I would rather live and fight another day? Can you choose to avoid danger?"

"No," Akira muttered sternly.

"No," Ibiki echoed. "There will be many missions that will seem almost suicidal if you think about it. But you do not think about it. You think only of the goal, and of achieving it through courage and discipline. These are the qualities required of a Chūnin squad leader. Those who chose the safer of two paths, those whose determination falters in the face of adversity, those who would put their comrades lives in danger by worrying about their own, those who would save their own necks at the price of sacred honour will never be able to call themselves Chūnin, at least as long as I'm here."

Akira's midnight blue eyes were as wide as saucers and her ears were listening to every single word this man was saying. She had no idea who this man was, but he had her complete and undivided attention, he had her at the edge of her seat. She felt the same way with Kakashi-sensei. Maybe they knew each other. This was the kind of attitude Akira was looking for in a ninja. This was the way she strived to be.

"As for the rest of you, you have successfully answered the ten questions I put to you. You have earned the right to continue on to the next step. You have passed through the first gate. I hereby declare this part of the Chūnin selection exam completed. There's nothing left, but to wish you all good luck."

"All right! We did it! That's one down!" Naruto cheered loudly. "Yeah! Yeah! Woo hoo!"

Suddenly, a giant ball of fabric crashed through the window. Two kunai shot out from it and pinned the edges of the large piece of fabric to the wall and revealed a woman. She had purple hair done up in a fanned ponytail and pale brown eyes. She wore mesh body suit that ended mid-thigh, an orange skirt and long coat that ended at her knees. Around her neck was a pendant that bore resemblance to a fang of some sort. She posed, face serious, in front of the large banner which now hid Ibiki. Akira was suddenly reminded of Guy-sensei and she shuddered at the thought.

"Heads up boys and girls! This is no time to be celebrating," she said loudly. "I'll be your next proctor: Anko Mitarashi!"


	25. Sounds Like a Party

"Anko... You're early again."

A faint embarrassed blush spread across the cheeks of the woman who just jumped into the room through the window, remind Akira of a combination of Guy-sensei and Naruto. She'd announced herself as their second proctor and was now awkwardly laughing and standing in front of the remaining students. But she swiftly composed herself and looked over to Ibiki.

"How many are there?" she asked. "Ibiki, you let all these guys pass? Your test was too easy. You're getting soft."

"Or it could be a stronger crop of candidates this year," Ibiki said with a small smile.

"Hm, they sure don't look like it."

Akira glared at Anko. There was something about her, besides the fact that she reminded her of Naruto.

"Trust me, before I'm done with them, more than half will be eliminated."

"Huh? More than half?" Sakura gasped. "Really?"

"Heh, this is gonna be fun," Anko chuckled. "All right, you maggots have had it easy this far, but this are going to be different starting first thing in the morning. I'll let your squad leaders know where you're to meet me. Dismissed."

All the remaining students left room 301 as well as the Academy. Kiba, Kai, Akira and Shikamaru all went out to get ramen to celebrate, with Kai eating it as voraciously as Naruto would. They took up all the seats at the stall, so no one else came to bother them, and they had a wonderful evening together, laughing and shouting like they used to when they were kids. Kiba and Akira ended up throwing radishes at each other, Kai managed to eat eight bowls of ramen to himself, and Shikamaru made it through the night without saying something was a drag. It was like the Chūnin exams weren't happening, that they weren't competing to graduate from Genin. It was like they were all back at the Academy, happy children without a care in the world.

* * *

For the first time in months Akira woke up normally, without any nightmares. She got dressed, but not in her usual attire. Yes, she wore her charcoal shirt, teal happi and many layered fabric belts where she also tied her bandanna, but she was wearing the loose fitting pants with fitted ends like she did when she was practicing her tai chi. They were much more comfortable than leggings and shorts, but better yet, they allowed for much more range of movement. Upon exiting her room, Akira hummed happily around the apartment as she made breakfast and tea for herself and Sasuke, then left the house in an equally good mood. For the first time in weeks, Akira was also able to meet up with Kai at their usual spot, underneath the cherry blossoms and above the jasmine flowers. Once again, he talked about her being a character out of a shoujo manga as the pair walked down the main street and out to the forest where they were set to meet their new proctor for the second part of the exam.

Upon arriving, there were already many people gathered around in front of a large, tall fence, locks and volatile paper bombs sealing the gates to the dark forest inside. Akira broke away from Kai and wished him luck for whatever was going to happen and joined Naruto and Sakura who weren't far off. Sasuke arrived moments later. Akira looked around. Beside one of the gates was a booth at which three ninja were sitting, looking at Anko, who was standing at the front, and most likely waiting for instructions.

"This is the location for the second phase of the exam," Anko said. "It's the 44th Battle Training Zone. But we call it the Forest of Death."

"Forest of... Death?" Naruto muttered, nervous.

Akira scoffed, earning herself a glare from Anko. The Uchiha expectantly rose an eyebrow at her, almost daring her to do something about it. However, their glaring contest was interrupted when a moving square rock inched towards Naruto. Akira sighed. Naruto looked at the rock and glared at it. He took a step away from it and it followed. Naruto then spent the next few minutes running away from the fake rock, everyone staring at him with confused expressions. Eventually, Naruto stopped and pointed accusingly at the square rocks.

"That's the worst disguise of all time! There's no such thing as square rocks!" Naruto shouted. "It's completely obvious!"

"You saw through my disguise again!" Akira heard Konohamoru's voice say. "You're slick, Boss. Just what I'd expect from my greatest rival."

Once again, the box of fake rocks exploded into various coloured powder to reveal three kids: Moegi, Udon and Konohammoru. They all introduced themselves with the same choreography as before, then paused to look at Naruto.

"Yeah, I knew it was you guys all along," Naruto said, trying to act cool. "What do you losers want? I'm getting ready to take the second part of the Chūnin exams, and you're interrupting me. I don't have any time to be playing around with you guys now."

"We didn't come to play around, Boss," Konohamoru said. "We're here on official business!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Moegi added. "We came here for an exclusive interview."

"Uh huh, uh huh," Udon hummed, nodding.

"An interview, huh?"

"We're here on assignment to write an article for the Academy newspaper. It's a big-time feature story, all about the Chūnin selection exams," Konohamoru said.

"So that's why we want to do an exclusive inter view with you," Moegi explained. "Please tell us you're going to do it?"

"It would mean a lot," Udon admitted.

"Hey, we can't forget to interview Akira, too!" Konohamoru commented. He looked over at Akira and blushed, looking back towards Naruto. Akira chuckled.

"Yeah, but right now? Ugh," Naruto groaned.

"Hey, you over there!" Anko called. "What're you doing? You're holding up the exams!"

"Sorry, but Konohamoru was telling Naruto about an interview for the Academy newspaper," Akira said plainly, staring at Anko. She blinked a few times, then laughed.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot all about it!" Anko said. "Lord Hokage had mentioned something about them interviewing me."

"Uh, interviewing you?" Naruto said slowly.

"All right, we're taking a ten minute break. For those who are scheduled to be interviewed, please be courteous and respectful to the reporters from the Academy newspaper."

"I thought I was the only one getting interviewed... Oh, and Akira too," Naruto added lowly.

"No, Boss. But you two are the most important!" Konohamoru said.

"Well, in that case I'll give you an interview that'll prove to your readers that I'm the greatest ninja ever - before Akira!"

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Akira moved to the side to begin their interview. Akira sat down at the base of a tree, playing her fingers at the tips of the blades of vibrant green grass. Konohamoru, Moegi and Udon stood in front of Naruto with their pens and pads of paper, ready to take notes on whatever nonsense Naruto was going to spill out of his mouth.

"All right, Boss. First, tell us a little but about yourself."

The interview seemed to go on for hours. But not even ten seconds in did Naruto start bashing on Sasuke and Akira again, as well as telling the three miniature reporters that Sakura was madly in love with him. He exaggerated some of the boring and plain missions that they'd accomplished, but he magnified the seriousness of the mission in the Land of Waves, if that was even possible. By the time he was done, Akira only had about two minutes out of the ten minute break left. It matter however, all she did was add a little veracity to Naruto's story and made Konohamoru move along to other people before Naruto could counter her truthful claims.

Eventually, Anko brought everyone back to the exams. Akira finally took a good look at the forest that lied beyond the tall iron fence. It was dark and dense, no light coming in from the blazing sun above. She couldn't hear anything coming from there, it was eerily quiet. The more Akira looked at it, the more she could feel its darkness creeping over her, trying to swallow her whole. Somehow, the thought of going in there didn't scare her. It would be just like training at night on the other practice ground; there would be a sort of peace in the sullen ambiance.

"There's something that really creeps me out about this place," Sakura said, staring at the forest.

"It should, it's called the Forest of Death for a reason," Anko said, almost cheerfully. "And soon enough, you're gonna find out why."

"'It's called the Forest of Death for a reason. And soon enough, you're gonna find out why,'" Naruto echoed, mocking Anko. "Do your worst! You're not gonna scare me away! I can handle anything!"

"So," Anko smiled. Akira narrowed her eyes at her. It wasn't a normal smile; it was wry and devious, "looks like we've got ourselves a though guy."

Still smiling, Anko drew a kunai from her sleeve and threw it at Naruto in record speed. It passed right by his face, cutting his cheek, and landed behind him and another Genin. Suddenly, she was right behind him.

"You tough enough to handle this? You're not afraid are you?" Anko said maliciously, yet still smiling. "Tough guys like you are usually the ones who leave their blood all over this forest."

Anko's finger wiped off the blood on Naruto's face painfully slowly. However, at a moment's notice she had another kunai out and had it in a position to block an attack from behind. However, it was only a ninja returning the other kunai. The strange thing was that she was holding the kunai in her extremely long tongue.

"I was just returning your knife," she said slowly.

"Why thank you, grass ninja," Anko said, once again smiling. You know, I only recommend you stand this closely behind me if you wish to reach a premature end."

"My pardon. With the sight of blood and your blade slicing through my hair, I'm afraid I just became a little excited. I meant you no harm."

The grass ninja turned and walked away. Akira watched her as she passed. Their eyes met for a brief second, before the grass ninja was completely out of her peripheral vision. Akira frowned. She had to watch out for that one.

"Seems like everyone here today is quick tempered; there must be something in the air," Anko noted. "This is gonna be fun."

'Quick tempered? Sheesh,' Akira thought. 'She's the one who threw the kunai.'

"Now before we begin this test," Anko said, returning to the front, "I have something to hand out to you all. It's just a standard consent form."

Anko pulled out a small stack of paper from her jacket and held it up. A few students gasped at it.

"Before the test, all of you are going to have to read over this form and then sign it."

"What for?" Naruto asked.

"Some of you may not come back from this test, and I need to get your consent to that risk," Anko said as if it were a completely normal sentence. "Otherwise it would be my responsibility," she continued with a laugh. "Now, I'll explain what you'll be doing on this test. The first thing you need to know is that this exam will test every single one of your survival skills. First, I'll give you all a description of the terrain on the practice field: the 44th battle training zone has 44 locked entrance gates. There are rivers and a forest inside. In the center is a locked tower, located ten kilometers from each gate. It's in this confined area that you'll undergo the survival test. The test consists of... an anything goes battle."

Akira's eyebrows shot up, and her heartbeat sped up. Suddenly, images of Haku flashed through her mind, making her eyes widen. The first free-for-all battle she'd ever had... and Akira was hoping to make it her last for a very long time. But the smell of blood returned to her nostrils and the sensation of her chakra blades slicing deep into the boy returned, and Akira began to panic inside. Death didn't scare her, neither did killing. The fact she was at ease with it (as much as a young girl could be) was what scared her. If pushed, especially in an anything goes battle, Akira would go to great lengths to complete her mission. It was like she turned into a different person. While the usual cheerful and sarcastic Akira was there during her down time, the dangerous and volatile one came out when she sensed even a hint of danger. Something rose within her, a kind of lust for battle, for violence that was tempered, controllable, but nonetheless terrifying.

"For what purpose?" Akira asked quite calmly. Anko eyed her suspiciously, and Akira wondered if she could see the near anticipation in her eyes.

"To get your hands on these scrolls," Anko said, pulling out a black scroll, as well as a white one.

"Both of them?"

"Yes. You'll be fighting to get both a Heaven Scroll, and an Earth Scroll. All together, 26 teams will be taking part in this test. Half of those teams will be going after the Heaven Scroll, and the other half will be trying to get an Earth Scroll. I'll hand over one kind of scroll to each team, and that's what you'll be vying for."

"Okay, so how do we pass the test?" Sasuke asked plainly.

"Your entire squad must bring both a Heaven and an Earth Scroll to the tower," Anko said.

"That means, at the very best, at least half of us will fail," Sakura noted. "More if not all teams can get both their scrolls."

"No one ever said it would be easy. Oh, and one more thing. The test has a time limit, you must complete it within five days."

"Five days out there!?" Ino complained.

"What're we supposed to do for food!?" Choji shouted, scandalized.

"Do you not know what the definition of survival is, you idiots?" Akira groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose, annoyed. "Just poke around, look for berries or whatever. Make a fire, grill some squirrel."

"SQUIRREL!?"

Akira smirked and chuckled at Ino's disgusted face. 'They're so weak,' she thought. 'Taking a scroll from them would be easy if Shikamaru wasn't there.'

"Yeah, the forest is plenty of stuff to eat," Anko agreed.

"That's not the only thing the forest has plenty of," Kabuto spoke up. Akira turned towards him. "There are man-eating beasts and poisonous plants out there."

Akira looked at the forest with an irked expression. She sighed.

"Sounds like a party."


	26. Killing Intent

Akira, Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto stood in front of one of the gates that lead inside the Forest of Death, looking beyond it and at the darkness that waited for them. Akira wasn't speaking, simply staring at everything her eyes could land on, examining the spaces between trees, their height, the terrain. Her fists were clenched at her sides, twitching once in a while, which was brought to Sakura's attention when Akria cracked her knuckles. The pink-haired girl looked at the female Uchiha with concern.

"You know, it's okay to be scared, Akira," she said softly.

"Scared?" Akira laughed. She turned to Sakura, eerily poised. "I'm excited."

"Are you sure? You seem a little... different."

"That's just how she is in battle," Sasuke said. "Did you never notice?"

Sakura frowned as Akira turned back towards the gate. A ninja walked over and stood in front of the gate, checking his watch. A few moments later, he took out a kunai and tore the paper bombs and unlocked the padlocks that kept the gate closed.

"Come on! Bring it on! Anyone who dares to attack me, I'll give it back twice as hard!" Naruto shouted, punching at the air.

"That's my kind of thinking," Akira said with a smirk.

Just then, the ninja in front of the gate pushed the doors open and stepped aside. With a war cry, Naruto yelled and ran inside, just as excited Akira was. Akira scoffed, amused, and ran after him, Sasuke and Sakura following closely behind them. Akira's mind immediately began running a million miles a minute. Naruto had peeved quite a few people; she was sure that lots of teams would be coming for them first. Shikamaru, Kiba and Kai would probably convince the rest of their team to come after Akira just to prove a point... mostly Kiba. Akira frowned as she and the rest of team seven ran through the thick, dark forest. Kiba was at his best in this kind of situation. With senses like his, a survival test was going to be a breeze for him. For the sake of her pride, Akira needed to beat Kiba to the tower.

Suddenly, there was a collection of screams and Akira stopped moving. It was coming from their left. She didn't recognize the voices, so it wasn't a team that she knew. The girl smiled. Kai, Kiba, Shino and Hinata had already gotten their first team.

"That sounded like someone screaming," Sakura whispered, coming to a halt beside Akira.

"Kai's team," Akira said simply. "Kiba is at his best in this environment. They've probably caught an opponent already."

"They're really that good?"

"It isn't wise to underestimate an opponent."

"Oh, I don't like this at all."

"I'm sure it was nothing, Sakura," Naruto said. "Akira's just a little crazy."

"Fine, don't believe me," Akira said airily. "It's your funeral, not mine."

"Whatever, I'm just gonna - I gotta..."

"You moron!" Sakura shouted, Akira turned towards them. "Go find a bush or something, this isn't a kennel! You wont be doing that in front of me!"

"Do we really have time for a bathroom break?" Sasuke said, annoyed.

"It'll only be a second!"

Naruto disappeared behind the bushes and the rest of the team waited for him in silence, Akira's and Sakue's senses on high alert since Sakura was still fuming at Naruto. The forest was dark and foreboding, but there was peace in its sullen ambiance. Akira's eyes flickered over the thick, dark trunks of the trees that rose steadily into the sky, its branches interlocking with its neighbors like giant's arms linked together protecting their home. The trees were densely packed together, leaving just enough space to allow someone to maneuver through. Akira pressed her palm against its rough bark, and breathed in the scent of the forest. The musty scent of leaves after rainfall, the warm soil packed against the earth by scurrying animals, the scent of things in different stages of blooming and growth. The smell of life. The forest was teeming with it.

"Wow, that was a lot!" Naruto said, returning from his bathroom break. "I wrote my whole name."

"You're such a pig!" Sakura complained.

Akira turned around to tell them to shut up, but she ended up throwing a kunai at Naruto, which embedded itself in his shoulder. Sasuke, with lightning speed, then ran over to him and kicked him in the jaw, sending him flying into a tree. Akira wasted to time in pulling out her tachi and unfolding them, eyes scanning the forest around her.

"Guys, it wasn't that bad!" Sakura gasped. "Don't you think you went a little overboard!?"

"Yeah! Why the heck do I have a kunai in my shoulder!?" Naruto yelled, pulling out said kunai.

Sasuke lunged at him again, aiming to kick him, but Naruto ducked and dodged. Sasuke landed on the tree and pushed off with his feet, sending his foot towards Naruto's head. Naruto jumped up on a branch to evade him, but Sasuke followed and kicked him down with ease.

"Better watch out, Sakura," Naruto said, standing up. "I think they've gone crazy."

"Yeah, you wish," Sasuke said. "We just struck before you could!"

"Sasuke! Akira! What's going on!?" Sakura asked, scared.

"All right, then, bring it on!" Naruto shouted.

Naruto and Sasuke lunged at each other with kunai and sparred for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Akira placed her hand to the ground and closed her eyes, focusing her chakra into the palm of her hand. When she opened her eyes, everything was black except for all the chakra signatures in the surrounding area. There were indeed four of them, but the person thought to be Naruto didn't have the usual light blue chakra. It was white. It definitely wasn't Naruto. Akira closed her eyes again then reopened them to see Sasuke and Naruto still fighting. She ran at them with incredible speed and, with one swing of her tachi, made both Sasuke's and Naruto's arms fly up, allowing her to ram Naruto in the stomach with the pommel of her sword. He slid back, panting, trying to catch his breath. Akira pointed her blade at his head.

"Sasuke, Akira! What are you doing?" Sakura asked.

"Take a good look at him," Sasuke said.

"Talk," Akira demanded. "Where is Naruto?"

"What!?" Naruto gasped. "What do you mean? I am Naruto!"

"Then where's the cut on your cheek?"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"I'm guessing you didn't know the real Naruto got a cut on his face before the start of the test," Sasuke said.

"You're also wearing your shuriken holster on your left leg. Naruto is right handed," Akira said calmly, staring directly into the impostor's eyes.

"Your transformation skills are worse than Naruto's. Tell us who you are!" Sasuke demanded.

Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, only to be replaced by an Amegakure ninja. He wore a ghastly yellow jumpsuit and a rebreather on his mouth, and his face was covered by a white bandanna with eye-holes cut out.

"All right, you got me," he said in a voice that was robotically distorted by his rebreather. "So what? I'm still gonna take your scroll. Now hand it over, or else. So... Which one of you has it?"

No one answered.

"Fine then. Guess I'll just have to take out all three of you!"

Just as the Amekagure ninja dashed forward, Sasuke jumped into the air and sent a volley of fireballs at him, allowing Akira so charge her tachi with electricity. She slashed at him, but he was faster than he looked, and he dodged it, jumping up in the air to throw kunai at Sasuke. He blocked it with ease and immediately took out another one, his kunai clashing with the other ninja's. The Amegakure ran off as soon as he was in the clear, and Akira and Sasuke followed after him, releasing a tied up Naruto by throwing a kunai at the ropes that bound him. This distracted both Sasuke and Akira, and let the Amegakure ninja throw senbon and kunai at them, which they dodged, but didn't notice the paperbomb attached to one of them until it blew up in their faces. Sasuke and Akira were blown back, but they regained composure. Sasuke landed on the ground with steady feet, and Akira landed almost gracefully beside him, tachi at the ready. The Amegakure ninja snuck up behind them, but didn't get a chance to attack before Naruto arrived and threw numerous kunai at him. This gave Akira the opportunity to twirl her swords in hand and slash at the ninja. He didn't move fast enough to avoid a large cut to the shoulder, over where she'd thrown a kunai at him. He jumped back, but Sasuke, concentrating chakra in one of his foot, held a kunai underneath it and flipped himself, throwing the kunai in the process. The Amegakure ninja avoided it, but by the time he'd dodged it, Sasuke had already stabbed him in the stomach with another kunai. It wasn't long before he was gone.

"He was alone," Akira said, putting her swords back in the holsters. "I didn't sense any other chakra signatures."

She turned to her brother and gave him a look.

"Right," he said, agreeing to whatever mental communication he and his sister had just had. "That proves we can't just trust appearances. We need to come up with a way to know we are who we say we are, and not some impostor using a transformation jutsu."

"All right, so what do we do?" Sakura asked.

"We need a password," Akira said, not looking at her teammates, but at everything else, eyes scanning the area.

"What kind of password?" Naruto asked.

"A secret one. Something known only to the three of us. And don't trust anyone who doesn't know it. No matter what." Akira turned back to her teammates. "Listen closely, I only want to say this once. The question will be: 'when does a ninja strike?' And the response is: 'A ninja waits until the time is right. When the enemy sleeps and drops his guard. When his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment for a ninja to strike.' Got it?"

"I got it," Sakura said, and Sasuke nodded, agreeing.

"You got one a little shorter?" Naruto asked.

"No, Naruto," Akira said. "That's it."

"Come on, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, annoyed. "Didn't you get it? I memorized it easy."

"Yeah, sure, I got it! No problem." Naruto said. "I just thought it was going to be a pass-word, not a pass-speech."

"All right, then," Sasuke said. "I'll take the scroll."

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew towards team seven and Naruto's face was scratched by something. Akira turned towards it and braced herself just as a giant wave of wind blew of them, nearly knocking them over. It was blowing away most of the vegetation, and Akira worked hard to maintain the chakra in her feet to stay up. When it died down, there was a crater leading to them so they all hid in the bushes that hadn't been destroyed. Akira sensed something behind her and stood, pulling out her tachi and pointing them at whoever was behind her. She ended up pointing one at Sakura and one at Sasuke.

"When does a ninja strike?" she asked without a beat.

Both ninja gave her a correct answer, as she'd expected. But when Naruto came out of the bushes and also gave a correct answer, Akira glared at him. She planted her swords into the ground, performed a few hand signs, and grabbed them again, her blades immediately charging with buzzing yellow lightning chakra. Meanwhile, Sasuke rapidly threw a kunai at Naruto, and by the time he'd dodged it, Akira had put herself in her classic offensive position. Sakura looked at her, surprised and a little scared. The last time she saw this jutsu was when Akira had killed Haku. Akira wasn't aiming to kill was she?

"Gotta hand it to you," Sasuke said. "You're faster than the last one."

"Akira, Sasuke, no!" Sakura shouted. "He said it properly! Don't do it!"

"That's why it isn't him. Do you really think Naruto, of all people, would remember a long password like that, without a single flaw?" Akira said dangerously, waiting for the intruder to strike. "You'd have a better chance teaching it to a hamster."

"Oh, right, you've got a point," Sakura admitted.

"Besides, you saw the way this guy moved when I threw the kunai at him," Sasuke said. "That was definitely not a Naruto move."

"All right, play time is over," Akira said sternly. "Come out, come out whoever you are," she added in a sing-song voice.

Naruto's face broke into a near inhuman grin and he licked his lips.

"Aren't we the clever ones," said a voice that didn't sound like Naruto's at all. Suddenly, Naruto transformed himself into the creepy grass ninja from earlier. Akira glared. "Tell me, if your teammate is really that dimwitted, why'd you come up with a password he'd never be able to remember?"

"See, it wasn't as much for Naruto as it was for anyone nearby trying to eavesdrop on us," Akira said with a smirk, a little proud of herself. "It was meant as a trap and you stumbled right into it."

"I'm impressed," the Kusagakure ninja said, removing her straw hat and looking at the three rookies darkly. "You certainly haven't dropped your guard, have you? This promises to be very entertaining."

The woman slowly removed an Earth Scroll from a pouch she was carrying, and Sakura gave them away by gasping at the sight of it. The Kusagakure ninja smiled maliciously.

"Ah, you'd love to get your hands on our Earth Scroll, wouldn't you? It would go so nicely with your Heaven Scroll."

Suddenly, the woman's painfully long tongue wrapped itself around the Earth Scroll she was holding near her face, and she easily slid it down her throat. Akira was suddenly reminded of a snake swallowing its prey whole.

"Well, when this is all over, one of us will have both scrolls. And the other will be dead!"

The Kusagakure ninja slowly looked up at them, her eyes no longer black, but golden with slitted pupils. Akira immediately closed her eyes and turned away, fully aware of what this was. She'd experienced it before... a long time ago. It wasn't a technique, jutsu or genjutsu at all. It was killing intent, pure and simple. If anything, it was even more terrifying than a genjutsu, because it was real. It was one hundred percent true intention to commit murder.

Akira didn't dare open her eyes until she heard someone fall to their knees and vomit. Her midnight blue eyes then, and only then, slowly opened. Sasuke was the one on his knees, Akria could see it now. And in the corner of her right eye, she could see that the Kusagakure ninja was only glaring now. Akira turned back to look at her and clenched her jaw. Sasuke and Sakura were in no condition to fight, and with Naruto nowhere to be found, Akira was completely alone against this... monster. The only smart thing to do was run. But Akira had a feeling that was easier said than done.


	27. A Fifth Tomoe

The woman laughed, making Akira's breath hitch in her throat. It was a cold, malicious cackle, piercing the quiet air around them. It chilled the bones, and it didn't help that her gaze was cutting Akira, dissecting everything about her the longer she stood there, immobile. Sasuke and Sakura were still frozen with fear behind her, and Akira didn't know how she was going to carry both of them out of harm's way, even if she did manage to bring enough chakra into both arms. Her fingers grew white as she clenched her tachi harder. She recalled Anko's words: "anything goes".

"They're paralyzed with fear," the woman said, looking behind Akira. Her cold gaze returned to the female Uchiha. "But you... You knew what was coming. Very good."

"Keep your flattery for someone who cares," Akira growled. The woman smirked.

"Now what happens?"

The Kusagakure ninja began walking forward, towards Akira and her comrades. Akira's jaw clenched and she solidified her stance, although she had no intention of attacking first. Instead, she momentarily closed her eyes, despite it being a big risk, reopening them with her Sharingan awakened. The woman took out three kunai.

"Sasuke, snap out of it, dammit," Akira growled at her brother.

"Ah, the Sharingan," the woman said, ignoring Akira's comment. "Already at stage two? So advanced for such a young age. It's a shame you won't be needing it. I'll make it quick. But I don't have to tell you that do I? Your eyes already see it."

The woman stopped in front of Akira, the girl's blade barely an inch away from the Kusagakure ninja's nose. Akira stared intently at the end of her tachi and suddenly relaxed, her knuckled returning to their normal colour. She immediately changed her mind about attacking first, and twitched her wrist so that it sliced at the woman's face. However, in record speed, she dodged it, only allowing Akira's blades to cut her hair as it followed the movement of her head. The Kusagakure ninja smirked.

"You're very quick, but not quick enough."

Her Sharingan caught it, but her body wasn't fast enough to react. The grass ninja threw two kunai, one at Sakura and the other at Sasuke. Akira rose her tachi at her sides in order to block them, but her arms only just missed them. Recuperating immediately, Akira jumped up and out of the way the instant her tachi failed to hit the kunai. The woman was too close, a bad situation for a sword-fighter. However, as Akira rose into the air, she noticed that Sasuke and Sakura were no longer there, but fleeing the scene. Akira followed, making sure that the crazy Kusagakure ninja was nowhere to be seen.

The three of them stopped in a nearby tree, dozens of feet above the ground. Sasuke had stabbed himself in the leg so shock himself out of his fear. It was a smart, but desperate move. He'd be injured for the rest of this mission, although Akira didn't that it would affect him much. Sasuke was known, albeit not as much as Naruto, for persevering despite his injuries. Sakura was sat beside Akira who was facing her brother, putting away her tachi for the moment. Sasuke was shaking. This time is wasn't out of excitement; this time it was out of fear and adrenaline pumping through his veins. He wasted no time in removing the kunai from his leg, a trail of blood following it as it came out. Akira removed her gloves, revealing once again her battered knuckles, and she tied them together and then around Sasuke's wound, stanching the bleeding.

"That wound is deep, are you sure you're going to be-"

Sasuke slammed his hand over Sakura's mouth before she could finish her sentence. Silence was best, yes, but Akira never thought that Sasuke would react this way. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, and darting everywhere. He was breathing heavily, scared out of his wits. Akira clenched her jaw. If Sasuke was in no condition to fight and take the lead as he usually did, then it was up to her. Suddenly, Akira heard something to her right and she swung open her tachi and stood, turning towards what she had sensed. Before her was a giant snake, it's head as big as her. Whether it was native to the forest or it was summoned, Akira didn't know, but she knew that the Kusagakure ninja was using them.

"Move now!" Akira shouted, dragging Sakura away from the branch. Sasuke moved the second Akira did.

The giant snake bit down on the branch where they sat only moments ago. She wasn't even preoccupied with the fact that Sasuke hadn't noticed it before her. The snake twisted itself around a branch then launched itself at Sasuke. Akira's Sharingan caught it and she moved fast enough to stand between Sasuke and the giant snake. She slashed once at the snake with one sword, and then slashed at the same place with the other, cleanly cutting off the snake's head. 'Anything goes,' Akira repeated in her head, over and over again, trying to get herself in the same mindset she was in when she and Kakashi intended to kill Zabuza.

Blood spattered the surrounding area, as well Akira's clothing and face; she didn't feel it land on her skin, it was the same temperature as the ambient air. The girl momentarily felt sorry for the animal she'd just slain. Suddenly, the body of the snake began to break open and Akira's eyes widened as the Kusagakure ninja rose out of the reptile, covered in it's blood. Sasuke and Sakura gasped.

"I sense your fear and desperation," she said, looking at the three Genin with a crazed look in her black eyes. "It's only natural. The brain must never let down its guard, and not even for a moment in the presence of its predator."

All of a sudden, the woman's body began stretching at a rapid rate, becoming more and more snake-like. She wound herself around a tree, reaching Akira and Sasuke's height, just before launching herself at them. However, before Akira could do anything to stop her, about a dozen kunai and shuriken embedded themselves in the trunk in front of the Kusagakure woman, stopping her in her tracks. Akira looked up towards the source and smiled when she saw Naruto.

"Looks like I came just in time!" he shouted from above.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted happily, relieved beyond belief.

"Naruto! Get out of here!" Sasuke yelled. "What are you thinking? You don't know what you're up against! Hurry! Go now while you still can!"

"So, Naruto, you managed to escape from my friend," the woman said calmly. "Well done."

"Okay, okay, I don't know what's going on here, but you've been picking on my friends and I don't like that!" Naruto shouted. "So you just better slither on back into your hole, snake lady, before I make a pair of shoes outta you!"

In any other circumstances, Akira would have laughed, but this wasn't the time. Naruto didn't know what he was getting himself into, but it was pointless to tell him to turn back. Akira would have to make sure he didn't get too battered up.

"You can have it!" Sasuke said all of a sudden. "The scroll right? That's what you want? All right then, take it and leave us in peace."

Akira turned towards him, glaring. He reached his hand into his pouch, but before he could take out the Heaven Scroll they had, Akira gently placed the blade of one of her tachi on Sasuke's arm.

"How dare you besmirch the Uchiha name this way," Akira said in a low, dangerous voice, reminding Sasuke of their father. She gazed coldly into her brother's eyes. "I will not be the sister of a coward. Get yourself together, Brother."

Sasuke and Sakura gasped.

"Yeah, Sasuke! Are you crazy!?" Naruto shouted. "We're just gonna hand the scroll over to the enemy? No way! What's wrong with you!?"

"Shut up and stay out of it!" Sasuke shouted back.

"Very wise, very sensible," the Kusagakure woman drawled. "Sometimes the helpless hunted, if they are to save their own skins, realize that their only hope is to distract the predator with something even more precious."

"And sometimes..." Akira began, loosening up her body and taking her classic fighting stance, "the hunter becomes the hunted."

"Akira, Naruto! Stop playing the heroe-"

Naruto didn't let Sasuke finish his sentence. Before anyone knew it, except Akira's Sharingan, Naruto was beside Sasuke and had punched him square in the face with all his might. Sasuke flew back a little, landing on a branch nearby.

"Stupid fool!" Sasuke yelled. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"I may not know the stupid password, and I may not have known that Akira was with me the whole time. But I know who I am," Naruto said, angry. "You, Sasuke, you're the one I'm not so sure about. How do we know you are who you say you are?"

"Naruto he's-"

"No. You may look just like him, you may sound just like him, but there's no way you're the Sasuke I know! I don't care how tough a fight you've been through, you should be acting more like your sister! Surrendering, giving up the scroll? Do you see Akira doing that? No! When did Sasuke become a coward!?"

"Naruto's right," Akira said, stern yet calm. "You're choking, Sasuke."

"Sad, but true," the Kusagakure ninja said, glaring at Sasuke and Sakura, sending back into their stupor. "It doesn't matter. As far as the scroll goes, I could simply kill you and take it."

The woman raised her sleeve to reveal a black marking on her arm, a seal of some kind. She bit her thumb, drawing blood, and drew a line across it. Akira realized it was either a summoning jutsu or a curse of some sort, but before she could move forward, Naruto dashed forward, kunai in hand.

"Summoning jutsu," the grass ninja said, performing various hand seals.

There was a large gust of wind which nearly knocked Naruto back. Moments later, the woman was standing on the head of a giant snake. The snake rose it's head and whipped down at Naruto, who narrowly dodge it. Akira took a deep breath and gripped her swords tighter and then ran at the woman and her snake.

"What a tasty little meal, you'll make for him," the woman said. "Careful, he likes to play with his food."

The snake's tail swung towards her but she skillfully jumped over it, continuing her sprint towards the Kusagakure ninja. Unfortunately, the tail hit the branch Naruto was standing on and he was sent backwards, landing on his back. The branch, however, couldn't resist the impact and shattered under his weight, sending Naruto slowly plummeting to the ground far below. Akira's Sharingan caught the movement to her left and she swerved in his direction, Naruto's life taking precedence over fighting another ninja. However, the snake's tail came back around and slammed itself in front of Akira, blocking her path. The only way she could go was down with him or back.

As Akira seriously debated jumping down after him, Naruto suddenly pushed off a tree and flew upwards, slamming his foot into the snake's face. It visibly recoiled. Akira frowned and looked at Naruto. She gasped. Where Naruto's bright blue eyes used to be there was a red iris, burning with fury. Enough of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra had arisen from within and it was starting to take over. Akira pondered for a moment as she positioned herself to attack if the snake came to her. Naruto was stronger now. Did that mean she should let the Fox rampage a little, or should she do the smart thing and try to calm Naruto down? However, Akira question was answered when Naruto began pounding relentlessly on the snake's head, creating a small crater in its head before the serpent flicked Naruto off with its tongue. But the yellow-haired boy came back at it with equal force, refusing to go down.

Akira's head suddenly snapped in the woman's direction. Her pupils dilated as the Kusagakure ninja made hand sighs so fast only the Sharingan could notice and then, as if blowing a kiss, the woman blew a wave of fire at Naruto. Akira ran forwards, wide eyes fixed on Naruto, screaming his name. A flash of black passed in front of her eyes and, before her body could react, it was sent flying in the opposite direction, away from the boy she was running to. The impact from the snake's tail knocked the air out of her lungs and forced her eyes to shut in pain. Her back slammed against a tree, and she slid down to a branch, her tachi landing somewhere nearby. Akira opened her eyes with great difficulty, a strong stinging sensation burning through her retina. When her eyes reopened, an extra tomoe was awakened and dead set on the Kusagakure ninja.

She was riding the snake towards Sasuke, Naruto nowhere in sight. Akira ran as fast as she could towards the snake, making a number of hand signs as she went. Suddenly, her arms lit up with pure yellow electricity, and it buzzed just as it would if she was using her swords. However, without them, the electricity was burning her skin, searing it like her hand was stuck to a grill. But she didn't care. Akira, with a war cry, leaped forward and shot her fist into the snake's head, going clean through it with a punch from the other arm. Her entire body was covered in blood and her arms were burned all the way up to her elbows when Akira reached the other side of the snake, and when she thought everything was in the clear, the Kusagakure ninja summoned another snake. On instinct Akira turned towards it, five tomoe glaring right at it. She was about to produce another sword-less Inazuma, but Naruto suddenly appeared facing her, holding the snake's head back with pure physical strength. Akira's eyes widened.

"Hey, you're not hurt are ya?"Naruto panted, almost growling. Akira knew this wasn't directed towards her somehow, and it was confirmed when Naruto's furious red eyes glared up at Sasuke. "You scaredy cat. Standing there frozen like a frightened rabbit while your sister goes and burns up her arms... No way. You're not the Sasuke I know!"

Suddenly, a long tongue, which came from the Kusagakure ninja, wrapped itself around Naruto's shoulders and hoisted him up to her level. Akira glared at her, then looked around, trying to spot her tachi. With one glance at her arms, Akira knew she shouldn't - or wouldn't - be able to produce another Inazuma without them. Suddenly, Naruto screamed and Akira cursed herself for looking away. With a flash of purple, Naruto was sent flying backwards and hit a tree, falling limp onto one of its branches. Akira turned to her brother, who was staring mutely at the scene unfolding before him, if he was actually seeing anything was another thing. The female Uchiha growled and, with her burnt right hand, she slapped her brother across the face.

"What is wrong with you!?" Akira yelled, eyes prickling with tears from the pain and the anger. "You're stronger than this! You know it! Or maybe I'm wrong!" Akira violently grasped Sasuke collar, regretting what she was about to say, words she hoped Sasuke never had to hear again. She recalled every last bit. "'You're hate's not strong enough! You're not strong enough! Your life is too precious to you? So run! That's right, run away and live with the shame-"

"NO!" Sasuke yelled, prying his sister's arm away from his collar. Akira looked up at him to see his Sharingan eyes.

"That's more like it," Akira smirked. Sasuke looked at her eyes; his pupils dilated at the sight of a fifth tomoe.

"You've finally awakened a fifth tomoe."

Akira blinked, wide eyed. That explained why she had seen all the rapid movements of the Kusagakure ninja and her snakes. Suddenly, said snake vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving only the woman standing on a higher branch ahead of Akira, Sasuke and Sakura, who was a little off to the side of them. A soft orange light suddenly shone down, signaling that it would be dark soon, but it also gave an ethereal glow to everything that was underneath it, including Akira, whose dark hair and eyes almost glowed in the soft light. Akira looked up at the light and sighed, trying to calm her nerves, absorbing the last rays of sunlight before darkness encompassed her and it'd be even harder to fight the Kusagakure enemy.

The siblings shared a glance and sprinted towards their enemy, multiple kunai in hand, ready to put double the Uchiha power to good use. Simultaneously, the siblings leaped into the air and flipped midair, throwing kunai as they spun and crossed over each other. The demon woman evaded all of the kunai with surprising ease and grace. Akira and Sasuke each landed on a tree on either side of the woman, and they pushed off it, darting like a bullet straight towards her. They both punched and kicked at the same time, slowly becoming less and less in sync over time to stop the predictability. But the Kusagakure ninja was fast and proficient in taijutsu, almost flowing like water as she evaded and blocked Sasuke and Akira's attacks. Looking from afar you would say they were easily matched, which they were, but had the Uchiha not had their Sharingan, the fight would have been lost a long time ago. Then the woman began to move faster, stretching her body to weave through branches and reach her destination at a greater speed, but she was still no match for the siblings' Sharingan; they could see her move and anticipate where her attacks were going to be place.

Then brother and sister shared another barely noticeable glance and they ran in opposite directions. Sasuke ran up a branch as Akira sped straight towards the demon woman. The two women sparred quickly and shortly before Akira managed to place a hand sigh and paralyse the grass ninja. Her eyes went wide as Akira did a backflip, kicking the demon in the chin as she spun. She was sent flying upwards where Sasuke was waiting. He grabbed the Kusagakure ninja when she was upside down and pushed off the tree, sending her head crashing into the large tree branch below. Akira watched, breathing heavily, as the demon woman's arms fell limp to her head, which had been smashed into the tree. Sasuke jumped back beside his sister, and the woman fell limp on her back. But Akira didn't let her guard down, and with good reason, as the second Sasuke had landed, the woman turned to mud. Akira eyes widened.

"Substitution!" she yelled.

Just then a rain of kunai and shuriken came flying at her and Sasuke which they dodged. Akira latched onto her brother as he dove off the tree, flinging out wire-strings from his sleeves. He swung one side over a branch and caught it just as he and Akira swung around the tree. The wires dug into the branch and snapped it, making Sasuke and Akira have an impromptu landing on another tree. Barely had they landed did the demon woman return, punching Sasuke in the face and kicking Akira in the stomach, sending them both down.

"What a disappointment you turned out to be," the woman said, almost sadly. Your ancestors weep. The Uchiha clan should thank me for killing you. Silly little worms."

Slowly, Akira and Sasuke opened their eyes and looked at each other. With her back turned to the demon woman, Akira made a few subtle hand signs and, when she was done, she violently turned around and slammed her palm at the Kusagakure ninja's feet, coming to a crouching position. The woman was sent flying backwards into a tree and was stuck there, so long as Akira maintained her Lightning Soak. Immediately after the woman hit the tree, Sasuke rapidly produced hand seals. And just as Sasuke performed the Great Fireball Technique, Akira put her index and middle fingers together at her chest, concentrating her Lighting Style chakra on the demon woman as the flames hit her, dosing the woman with a shock and intense fire.

"Lightning Fire Phoenix!" Akira yelled.

The lightning and fire burst through the back of the tree, flames roaring and electricity buzzing. It wasn't enough to drown the woman's screams though. Akira was sure that whoever was in the Forest of Death could hear the screams coming from the demon woman, and Akira was secretly happy that she was in so much pain. Eventually, Sasuke ran out of breath and the flames died down. The siblings were both weakened, having used enormous amounts of chakra. Akira was still crouching, maintaining herself with an extended right leg and hand stretched out in front of her. Sasuke folded forwards, exhausted, holding himself up with his hands on his knees. Just then, Sakura ran over and held Sasuke up a little.

"Sasuke, you did it!" she gasped happily. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, sure, I'm fine, thanks for asking," Akira said sarcastically.

"Sarcasm? Right now"

"When else?"

Suddenly, the woman ripped herself from the tree. Akira looked up, suddenly scared. She tried to stand, but she didn't have enough energy to move fast enough. The woman's face seemed to be peeling off, revealing a slitted golden eye, purple eye-makeup that further accentuated the snake-like appearance of her eyes, and ghostly white skin that almost didn't seem natural.

"No, impossible," Sasuke muttered, struggling to move.

"Such mastery of the Sharingan at such a young age," she said, the feminine drawl slowly transforming into a male whisper. In a way, despite the venom that was laced in his words, his voice was enthralling, drawing you in with every word. "You are both true Uchiha, after all. Yes, you'll do nicely... And you are definitely his siblings."

Akira nearly gasped. Was he talking about...

"If anything, your eyes are even keener than Itachi's," the male voice continued. Akira's eyes widened.

"Itachi..." the girl whispered, her brother's face flashing through her mind.

"Who are you? What do you want!?" Sasuke yelled.

"My name..." the male voice said, pausing. "... is Orochimaru."


	28. Terrifying Power

"My name... is Orochimaru."

For once, Akira didn't know what to think. Was she supposed to recognize that name? Was it supposed to mean something? Had she heard it before? Too many things were going through her mind, clouding it, making it hazy and confused. All the girl could do was remember it and figure it out later, much more pressing matters at hand at the moment, such as staying alive.

All of a sudden, the stranger named Orochimaru pulled out a white scroll from his pouch. Sasuke immediately checked his pouch: it was empty. That was their Heaven Scroll Orochimaru was holding, and how he managed to get it baffled even Akira. How had the Sharingan missed it? Unless he'd stolen it when Akira was temporarily subdued, before she'd punched through one of the snake's head.

"But as to what I want, that will have to wait until we meet again," Orochimaru said. The scroll he was holding suddenly began to burn, bursting into bright teal flames. "Which wont happen until you finish this test with the best score of all."

"The scroll!" Sakura gasped.

"First, you'll have to defeat the Hidden Sound ninja who serve me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but why don't you just finish and beat it! If we meet again it'll be too soon!"

"Oh, the Uchiha and I will meet again," Orochimaru said.

Just then, Orochimaru made a peculiar handsign. Akira's Sharingan registered it, but she couldn't identify it. And when his neck elongated all the way towards her and Sasuke, Akira didn't have enough energy to move away in time. In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru's teeth were latched onto Sasuke's neck and then her own. Pain seared through Akira's neck better than a branding iron, her mind conceding to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. As it spread to the rest of her body, the pain increased in waves, small lulls giving false hope of an end. Each peak robbed Akira's ability to speak or scream, sending her crashing to her knees. It's as though her blood had become acid, intent of destroying her from the inside out. Without meaning to Akira's body curled into something fetal, something primeval, all the while the pain burned and radiated.

"Sasuke! Akira!" Sakura shouted. "You! What have you done to them!?"

"I just gave them a little parting gift," Orochimaru said. "Very soon, Sasuke will seek me out, he'll desire my power... and Akira won't hesitate to follow her brother... He's everything to her." The male voice chuckled. "In the meantime, I enjoyed the demonstration of the powers you already possess."

Then Orochimaru began slipping into the tree, disappearing from sight little by little, until the only thing left of him was the reverberating sound of his malicious laughter, and even that faded eventually. Soon, the only thing that was there was a passed out Naruto, still lying on another tree somewhere, Sakura between Sasuke and Akira, who were both lying down, shaking and whimpering in pain.

"Sa... Sasuke," Akira managed to say between groans of pain. She reached her burned arm out towards him, trying to ignore the pain in every inch of her body. Akira grasped the tips of his fingers. They were cold. "Sasu..."

Everything went black.

* * *

T _he birds were chirping, the sun was blazing. It was a beautiful day in Konoha. The cherry blossoms were in bloom, the jasmine flower scent filled the air, and the bright purple lavender pleased the eyes. The streets were bustling with people, short and tall, old and young. The smells coming from food shops filled the air and melded with jasmine, and the sound of music coming from street performers reached everyone's ears. It was a beautiful day in Konoha._

 _"Itachi... I can walk, you know," a young Akira said._

 _She was being carried on an older boy's back as he walked down a quieter street. He had onyx eyes and hair that wasbrought back in a low ponytail, though the high collar of his shirt obscured it. He was tall and, like most Uchiha, easy on the eyes._

 _"Don't push yourself," Itachi said._

 _"Okay..."_

 _Akira sighed and looked up. She gasped a little._

 _"What's wrong?" Itachi asked, looking back at his little sister._

 _"That's the building where Father works, right?" Akira said, looking at a grand building. The Uchiha family crest was placed above the front entrance and below it, in Japanese characters, was written 'Konoha Military Police Force'._

 _"Uh huh. It's the building for the Leaf Police Force."_

 _"I was wondering... Why is the Uchiha crest part of the police insignia?"_

 _"Well what do you know? You finally noticed."_

 _"Of course I did, Itachi!" Akira whined, playfully smacking her brother's back._

 _"Right," Itachi chuckled. "Let me see if I can explain it for you... It was the Uchiha's earliest ancestors who established the police in the village. So when they created the symbol for the organisation, they used the family crest." Itachi paused in front of the building. "Since a long time ago, the Uchiha have always ensured the peace here. The crest is a testament to our clan's pride, a way of life centuries old. Over the years, the Uchiha clan has grown smaller. But even now, nearly all of us are a part of the Force and work to uphold the peace in this village." Itachi looked back at Akira and continued walking. "Which is good because only the most exceptional shinobi can weed out the criminals hiding among their brethren."_

 _"Wow! Dad is the coolest!" Akira giggled. She then thrust her fist forward, face determined. "When I grow up, I'm gonna be just like dad! I'm gonna keep the peace in the village! But I'm gonna be way cooler than Dad! You just watch me, Itachi!"_

 _"You'll never be cooler than Dad, Akira," Itachi laughed._

 _"Will to! Will to!" Akira gasped. "Tomorrow's my entrance ceremony to the Academy! It's the first step to my dream, Itachi!"_

 _"That's right, it is."_

 _Akira smiled brightly and clung to her brother as he kept walking to the Uchiha compound. Soon the pale grey stone pathway appeared beneath Itachi's feet and the elegant Japanese gardens came into view. Ahead was a large wooden fence, broken up by a tall archway, the Uchiha crest above it on a lavender background. Standing at the entrance was Fugaku Uchiha, Akira's father. He had shoulder length brown hair and onyx eyes that everyone seemed to have inherited except Akira. He wore the standard black pants and shirt with the police force crest, with a khaki flak jacket over it. As usual, he didn't look quite impressed. A few moments later, Sasuke's head popped out from behind him._

 _"You're late, Itachi," Fugaku said sternly. "What have you been doing?"_

 _"Father!" Akira said happily._

 _"I need to talk to you," the man continued, ignoring his daughter. "Let's go."_

 _Akira sighed as Fugaku turned away. Itachi put Akira down, ruffled her hair and followed their father. The girl walked over to Sasuke and grabbed his hand, dragging him along with her to their home's family room. It was spacious and simple, tatami mats lining the floors and elegant decorations adorning the walls. The three Uchiha children sat in a line in front of Fugaku on the floor, who was sitting cross legged on a small mat._

 _"That's my boy," he chuckled, looking at Itachi. "For you to have come this far only six months after becoming Chūnin... About tomorrow's special mission - I've decided to go along with you."_

 _Akira's eyes widened. Tomorrow was her acceptance ceremony into the Academy. Her father wasn't going to be there? But he had to. He was what she aspired to be, to accomplish. He had to be there. Akira needed to make him proud!_

 _"If you complete tomorrow's mission, Itachi, your entrance into Anbu Black Ops is all but assured."_

 _When Itachi said nothing, Fukagu glared at him, his Sharingan awakening. Akira stared it. The Kekkei Genkai of her clan that had earned her father the title of 'Wicked Eye Fugaku'._

 _"Do you understand?" Fugaku insisted._

 _"You don't have to worry about me out there," Itachi said, finally. "And more importantly..."_

 _Itachi glanced at Akira and Sasuke. Both of them blushed, a little embarrassed. Sasuke was the one to speak up._

 _"Father, you see, tomorrow afternoon is-"_

 _"This mission tomorrow. It's not just about you," Fugaku interrupted, ignoring Sasuke. "Your performance will reflect on our entire clan."_

 _Akira and Sasuke both frowned, saddened, and looked down at their knees. Nothing was ever as important as Itachi..._

 _"Actually, I'm going to pass on tomorrow's mission," Itachi said._

 _"What are you talking about!?" Fugaku said, outraged. "That's insanity! You know how important this is! You'll do no such thing!"_

 _"I have to. Tomorrow is Akira and Sasuke's entrance ceremony."_

 _Akira and Sasuke both looked up at their brother. Akira then looked at her father. He seemed to have forgotten that piece of information._

 _"Our family has to attend," Itachi said, smiling. "It's customary at the Academy. You received a notice... remember?"_

 _Fugaku clenched his jaw and stood up._

 _"All right, I get it. I'll be at the Academy tomorrow."_

 _He then walked passed Itachi, Sasuke and Akira, exiting the room. All three Uchiha siblings followed him out onto the porch. Itachi turned around to look at Akira._

 _"Be sure to ice your left leg," he said simply._

 _"I will," Akira said softly, frowning a little._

 _Her brother sounded so distant in that moment. Usually, he'd smile and do it for her. Not this time... Nothing was ever the same again. Itachi became more and more distant. He'd stopped training with Akira and Sasuke, retreated to god knows where for hours or even days on end. Eventually, Akira and Sasuke stopped going to him and trained together, developing techniques to use if they ever fought together. But every time Akira would see Itachi, she'd secretly hope he stopped being so distant and came back to her like nothing happened. He never did... And if things weren't bad enough, Itachi began shunning even his parents, cutting Fugaku off from all his daily tasks and activities. Unfortunately for Akira, who didn't have a fire affinity like Itachi and Sasuke, her father moved on to her other brother, prizing him instead of Itachi and herself. That's when she met Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru, the only people who could cure her of her rejection and solitude. They trained together, laughed together, did everything together._

 _"Father only cares about you, Itachi," Akira had said one day as she and her brother were quietly sitting on the porch._

 _"You probably hate me, huh?" Itachi said. Akira didn't say anything. "It's all right. People often think ill of shinobi. It's only logical."_

 _"That's not how I feel!" Akira said sternly. Itachi chuckled._

 _"Being the best isn't what it's all cracked up to be," he said. "When you have power, you become arrogant and isolated from the world, no matter how coveted and sought after you are in the beginning. For us its different because you and I are flesh and blood. I'm always going to be there for you, even if its as an obstacle for you to overcome..." Itachi looked at Akira. "... even if you do hate me. That's what big brothers are for."_

 _Akira stood up and firmly planted her feet, looking down at Itachi with a glare, hands placed steadily on her hips._

 _"I swear on my mother's life, today on this porch, with you as my witness, that I will become the strongest kunoichi I can be," Akira said, determined, and with a certain eloquence only found in this little Uchiha. She looked straight ahead of her, into the distance. "I will not become arrogant; I will remain modest and humble, without showing weakness. I will not become isolated; I will remain open and I will cherish my friends and all the people of Konoha for the rest of my life. I do not care how many people look up to me, or look down upon me. I do not care how many wish they were me, or wish that I were gone. I do not care how many wish they had my power, or wish I had none. I will not let anything sway me from my path. My purpose is straight and true: I will become the greatest kunoichi I can be, and I will protect this village with all that I have, even at the cost of my life. There will be balance, and there will be peace... As the future head of the Konoha Military Police Force, I will be one of many noble and brave shinobi to bring that balance and peace to this village." Akira looked back at her brother. "You just watch me, Itachi."_

* * *

Akira's eyes suddenly snapped open, every thought in high definition. The noises of a battle in full swing reached her ears. Every ray of light dilated the pupils of her midnight irises dilating, and without a doubt she knew she'd been down too long. Everything was pale, tinted with pure white, seemingly rising from her own body. Though her heartbeat was strong and steady, it was as if a rush of adrenaline was running through her veins. Her body moved of its own accord, rising itself alongside Sasuke's. An intense spiral of purple chakra was spinning around him as he stood, and the same could be said for Akira, but in the purest of whites. Flame-like markings began crawling onto her skin, glowing a bright orange. She felt them sear across her skin, just as painful as when she burned her arms with Inazuma. Akira could sense the fear in whoever was nearby, most likely looking onto the scene unfolding in front of them. She took a step forward, and the swirl of white chakra intensified. Sharingan eyes rose from the ground and looked up, spotting everyone before her, and narrowed upon seeing a beaten up Shikamaru who was holding up a passed-out Ino. He looked terrified, but even though Akira saw it, it didn't seem to register that the fear was caused mostly by her. All her mind could think about was him, his fear, his injuries.

"Shikamaru... Who did this to you?" Akira said, her voice dangerously low. Shikamaru just stared on, looking between her and her brother who was asking Sakura the same thing. "Who was it?"

"Akira you-"

"Don't worry. I'm all right," the girl interrupted Shikamaru. "It's only the power flowing through me. In fact, I've never felt better." Akira looked at her hands, then back at Shikamaru. "Who did this to you?"

Shikamaru's onyx eyes glanced briefly to his left. Akira's Sharingan eyes slowly gazed in the same direction, her head following suit. The three sound ninja that had caused a stir in the first exam were there, standing before the rush of white and purple chakra with as much fear as everyone else. They nearly shrunk under the intensity of her glare, but one of them stepped up.

"I did this."

"Shikamaru," Akira said, still looking at the enemy ninja, "get your team to safety, that includes Ino's soul in that Hidden Sound girl."

Shikamaru didn't need to think twice. He ordered Ino to get her soul back into her own body, and jumped into nearby bushes, demanding that Choji go and hide as well.

"Dosu, what's wrong? You're not getting cold feet are you?" the overconfident sound ninja said.

"No, Zaku, you don't know what you're doing!" Dosu yelled at his teammate.

"Watch this, I'll take care of all these runts in one fell swoop! Super Sonic Slicing Wave!"

Millions of sound waves then rushed over to Akira and Sasuke in an impressively powerful attack. It sliced even his own teammates and nearly deafened Shikamaru, Ino and Choji. Akira and Sasuke however, had moved even before the attack had reached them, placing themselves directly behind him Zaku.

"Heh, looks like I blew them all away!"

"Not quite."

Before Zaku could even look behind him, Sasuke had punched him straight in the head, sending the sound ninja back towards his teammates in a heap. Sasuke didn't waste time in sending a firestyle move towards Zaku, who tried to blow away the flames with sound waves. It worked, but he didn't anticipate the shuriken hidden inside the flames. Therefore while Zaku was distracted by the flying weapons, Akira took the opportunity of dashing towards him, low to the ground. Dosu warned him but it was too late, Akira had already grabbed both of his arms and flipped over him, popping his arms out of his shoulder's sockets and holding them behind his back. Both of Akira's feet were on his back, and she was holding herself up by pulling on Zaku's arms. She smirked evilly.

"You seem to be very proud of these arms of yours," she said maliciously. "You must be really... attached to them."

Without thought, Akira pulled harder on Zaku's arms. Apart from the screams, the only thing heard was the sound of breaking bones. She dislocated his shoulders, elbows and wrists, twisting his arms around so that they'd snap in several places. Akira then kicked him aside, finished with him, like he was a piece of trash. Akira cracked her knuckles, one finger at a time, and turned back towards everyone, still smirking. Dosu, being the only conscious sound ninja, backed away, and all the other leaf ninja stared at both her and Sasuke with pure fear.

"It looks like you're the only one left," Akira told Dosu. She looked at Sasuke. "It's your turn, brother dear."

"My pleasure," Sasuke said just as hateful as his sister. "I hope you make things more interesting than your friend did. That looked way too easy."

Sasuke began walking towards Dosu, still frozen in fear, but Sakura interfered. She yelled for him to stop, and when Sasuke didn't, she latched onto him, hugging him from behind. Much to Akira's surprise, as well as irritation, Sasuke stopped, the purple chakra and black flame-like markings on his body receding. Moments later, he collapsed, yet still conscious. Akira scoffed.

"Pathetic," she growled, glaring at Sasuke and Sakura. Then she looked up at Dosu, her smirk returning. "Guess I'll be having a little more fun."

"No!" Sakura yelled. "Akira, please, stop! You've done enough!"

Akira glared at Sakura, her Sharingan almost boring into her soul. Sakura shrunk under her gaze.

"Shut up. No one hurts someone I care about and gets away with it," Akira said, then looked back at Dosu. "You reap what you sow... Dosu."

Akira began walking towards a shaking Dosu. She sensed someone behind her, no doubt about to stop her. She stuck out her arm and spun, preparing to punch whoever was behind her. But her hand stopped abruptly inches away from their face, and Akira blinked at Shikamaru.

"You're such a drag, Akira. Look at you, making me drag myself outta the bushes just to stop you," Shikamaru said. "Just quit it all right? Let's go home, get Kiba and Kai, eat some ramen. Sound good?"

The searing pain all over her body suddenly began receding of it's own accord, and the white spiraling chakra slowly faded away as well as Akira's Sharingan, her midnight blue eyes returning. A wave of fatigue suddenly washed over her and her knees buckled, making her topple over onto Shikamaru, who caught her with ease.

"Yeah..." Akira whispered. "Yeah, that sounds good."


	29. Two Heads Are Better Than One

Akira hadn't the faintest idea how they had made it to the tower after the battle with Dosu, Zaku and the female sound ninja. She only recalled bits and pieces of the journey there, up until this point. The first thing she remembered was Shikamaru's face and agonizing fatigue, as well as Sakura's short hair. Everything else was choppy, at best. She remembered being by a river, fishing, when someone showed up. Then the next thing she knew she was fighting hundreds of clones of a ninja in a yellow jumpsuit, and then she was standing in front of Iruka-sensei who was congratulating her and the rest of her team on a job well done. Akira barely remembered much than those images, but she remembered feelings. The most prominent one being an unplanned surge of power flowing through her veins, followed by incessant pain in her arms and fatigue everywhere else. Looking down at her arms and seeing the burns on them, she knew why she'd felt that pain, but she hadn't the faintest idea as to what caused that surge of power, or even if it came from her. Akira wasn't even sure she wanted to know. Glancing at Sakura who was standing to her left, and seeing the worried expression on her face as the pink-haired girl gazed between Sasuke and her, she knew that something bad had happened, she just couldn't remember what.

Akira turned back to the front, snapping out of her daze. Ahead, in front of a large stage stood eight Jōnin, two of which were Anko and Ibiki, as well as the next proctor who was still unidentified. In the center of the stage stood the Hokage clad in his traditional white cloak and hat, staring seriously at all the students before him. Behind the Hokage stood all of the team leaders, the students' sensei. Kakashi was there alongside Kurenai, Asuma and Guy. The only other leaf ninja up there was the leader of Kabuto's team, who was unknown to Akira. Then there was the Hidden Sand Village's Jōnin. He led Gaara's team and didn't look much nicer than the boy. Akira's midnight blue eyes widened when they fell on the last Jōnin, and as if he knew she was looking at him, his eyes met hers. It was him. It was the man she'd met in the woods while she was training. Akira's eyes flickered to his forehead and it was only now she noticed the Hidden Sound Village's symbol upon his forehead protector. A small smirk drew itself upon the man's lips and Akira couldn't help but stare.

The sound ninja, as far as she could remember, had been major enemies since the beginning. They were the ones who attacked Kabuto even before the start of the first exam, and Akira was almost one hundred percent sure they were the ones involved in the major battle she'd fought in the Forest of Death. If the students we this way, what could be said about their teacher? Weren't their philosophies and mentalities aligned in some way? Then why on Earth would a sound ninja Jōnin offer to help a kid which his students had deemed an enemy?

"Congratulations on finishing the second part of the exam!" Anko called, snapping Akira's glance away from the Sound Village Jōnin.  
"Hey look," Sakura whispered, "all of the Leaf Village rookies are here too."  
"Woah, everybody's here," Naruto said. "Old man Hokage, Iruka-sensei and even Bushy-Brow! It looks like absolutely no one got left behind this time."  
"I don't have a very good feeling about this," Sasuke said, rubbing his shoulder. Akira suddenly felt pain in hers too and she winced.  
"All right, now listen up! Lord Hokage is going to explain the third exam to you," Anko said. "You better listen carefully, maggots."  
"First, before I tell you what the third exam entails, I want to explain something about the test itself," Lord Hokage said. "Listen closely now, it's something all of you need to understand. I'm going to tell you the true purpose of these exams."

Akira frowned, trying to ignore the growing pain in her shoulder.

"Why do you suppose our country holds these exams in conjunction with our allies? To raise the ability levels of our shinobi and increase friendship with allied nations for sure, but it's important you understand its true meaning. The exams are, so to speak, a representation of the battle between allied nations."  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Akira heard one of the students say.  
"Now, if we look at our history, all the countries that we're currently allied with were neighbouring nations that continuously fought each other for power. In order to avoid destroying each other's military strength meaninglessly, those nations picked champions to do battles representing their countries at a mutually selected location. That was how the Chūnin selection exams originally began," Lord Hokage explained.  
"Well, that's great, but why do we have to go through these exams then?" Naruto asked. "I mean, it's not like we're doing this to pick Chūnin to go fight."  
"Well, actually, there is no question that part of the point to these exams is to select shinobi worthy of becoming Chūnin, that's just not the whole story. These exams also allow for a place where shinobi can carry the pride of their nation on their backs and fight against other ninja for their very lives."  
"The pride of their nation?" Sakura whispered, a little confused.  
"Many leaders and people of prominence are invited to attend this exam as guests, and also possibly to seek shinobi to work for them. This exam could determine the course of your ninja work from here on out. And more importantly, those rulers will watch your battles and take notes of each ninja and each technique a nation is developing. If there is a gap in power between the countries, the strongest villages are inundated with job requests for their ninja and conversely, requests to countries deemed weak will diminish. Therefore, the stronger our nation is, the better our position when it comes to negotiating with neighbouring countries is. So it's important to show how much military strength our village has."  
"Okay, but even so, why is it necessary for us to risk our lives?" Kiba asked, irritated.  
"The country's strength is the village's strength, the village's strength is the shinobi's strength," the Hokage said. "And the true strength of the shinobi is only achieved when pushed to its limit, such as in a life and death battle."

Akira winced again at the pain, but she was hanging onto every word the Hokage was saying. Maybe the surge of strength she felt a few days ago came from deep within her, when her life and the lives of others were at stake...

"This exam is a chance for each nation to display the strength of its shinobi and hence, the strength of the nation itself. It is because this is an exam that your life is on the line, and it has meaning. And it's for this very reason, as well as the strength of the nation, that you're forerunners fought in this exam. It's truly a dream worth striving for."  
"Then why use the expression 'friendship' before if all we're doing is backstabbing each other?" Akira asked, voice louder than she'd anticipated.  
"In the world of the shinobi, preserving balance by fighting and dying _is_ friendship," Lord Hokage said. Akira remained unimpressed. "The third exam is a fight for life with the pride of your village and your own dreams at stake. Now listen closely, I'm going to tell you exactly what you'll be doing for the third exam."

Suddenly, one of the ninja in line disappeared and reappeared in front of the Hokage. Akira raised an eyebrow at the kaana strapped to his back. Surprisingly, there weren't many sword-wielding shinobi in Konoha; this guy must be something. They exchanged a few words and then the man turned around to face the 23 remaining candidates. He had short brown hair, dark eyes with pronounced circles under them as if he hadn't slept in months. As Akira and the rest of the Genin would soon learn, the Jōnin also had an unexplained cough that plagued him.

"It's nice to meet you all," he said in a lazy voice which reminded Akira of Kakashi-sensei. "I am Hayate Gekkō, proctor assigned to the third part of the exam." He coughed. "There is something I would like to do before the third exam." He coughed again, this time a lot harder. Akira raised an eyebrow at him. He was something all right... "We need to have a preliminary exam before we can move on to the real one."  
"Preliminary!?" Shikamaru complained. "What do you mean by that?"  
"I'm sorry, sensei, excuse me," Sakura spoke up politely, "but I really don't see the point. What's this preliminary all about? Why can't we just move on to the third exam?"  
"Well you see, the first and second exams might have been too easy," Hayate said, then coughed. "The fact is, we never expected so many of you to still be here. According to the rules of the Chūnin exam, a preliminary round can be held at any stage in order to reduce the number of candidates remaining."  
"Is that fair!?" Ino gasped.  
"It's just that at this stage we have to speed things up a bit. As Lord Hokage said, a lot of important guests will be watching. We can't afford to waste their time. They've come to see only the best."  
"And the best is here," Akira said with a smirk, confident.  
"So if there are any of you who feel that they aren't in top physical condition, now's your chance to- " Hayate's coughing interrupted his speech.

 _'Talk about not being in top physical condition,'_ Akira thought, raising an eyebrow at the man.

"Sorry about that. As I was saying, any of you who don't feel up to this, now's the time for you to bow out. The preliminaries will be starting immediately."  
"Come on, you mean right now!?" Kiba shouted.  
"Man, this is such a drag..." Shikamaru sighed.  
"Oh, and the ones moving on will be determined by one on one battles, sudden death," Hayate added.

Akira's eyes narrowed at the proctor. _'Immediately?'_ she thought. _'Great...'_ She was in no condition to fight, but there was no way she was going to let burns on her arms and a weird pain in her shoulder get the best of her. As such, Akira crossed her burnt arms across her chest, displaying them to everyone, and stood tall. There was no way she was backing out of this. She had a goal, and she intended to reach it. However the same couldn't be said for Kabuto, who listed a number of reasons why he didn't want to stay and then left, much to Akira's confusion. He was better off than her and he'd been here four years in a row. She couldn't comprehend why he'd back out of this. Although, it did make one less opponent to face off.

Suddenly, Akira and Sasuke's hands flew up to their shoulders, pain searing. Sakura and even Naruto didn't fail to notice.

"Sasuke? Akira?" Sakura whispered, concerned.

There was another wave of pain and Akira winced again. They were coming sooner and sooner each time.

"Sasuke, Akira, listen to me, you have got to quit," Sakura said.

Naruto gasped, but Akira turned to glare at the pink-haired girl.

"Back out? What are you nuts? I can't back out now!" she argued in a hushed voice. "This is my chance to prove to everyone what I've got, to prove to the Leaf that I can be just as good as my father once was."  
"But you two have been like this ever since you tangled with Orochimaru, and it's getting worse."

Akira's eyes widened as the image of the pseudo-grass ninja appeared in her mind. Then she remembered that Orochimaru had bitten her on the shoulder that pained her. Had he done this to her? If so, what had he done, exactly? Was it this pain that was the source of her power surge earlier? Had Orochimaru... given this to her?

"It's that mark he put on you, isn't it?"

Akira's eyebrows nearly twitched into a frown. A mark? She looked over at Sasuke's shoulder and, sure enough, concealed by his high collar was an amalgam of three tomoe, shaped into a spiral. Did she have this too?

"You can't deny it, guys. Please," Sakura insisted, on the verge of tears, "please, both of you, quit now before... I don't know... I'm scared. Come on, you know as well I do that you're in no condition to fight. Especially you, Akira. I mean... Look at your arms. And you haven't remembered anything that happened in the last few days. You need rest."  
"Shut up, Sakura," Akira growled.  
"You think I'm blind or something!?"  
"Will you please be quiet?" Sasuke insisted.  
"You don't think I see the suffering you're going through!?"  
"That's enough, Sakura," Akira said dangerously low.  
"I'm sorry, I can't let you do it to yourselves!" Sakura said, tears falling from her eyes. "I'm going to tell them about those marks. Then, maybe you'll..."

Sakura began to raise her hand but Sasuke snatched it and pulled it down.

"Don't you even think about telling them about these marks," Sasuke said.  
"I don't get what you're trying to prove," Sakura whined. "Am I just supposed to stand by and watch you guys tear yourselves apart."  
"I don't know about Sasuke, but I just want to get through this first," Akira said, voice softer than it was before. "I want to make it through the preliminaries first, and then I'm definitely telling Kakashi-sensei about this. No, Sasuke, you might be able to boss Sakura around, but you can't tell me what to do. If this thing doesn't take me out in the preliminaries, it will in the future. Until I know what this thing is exactly, I can't have it on me without my sensei knowing about it." Akira smiled lightly at Sakura. "I'm not a black or white person, I live and thrive in the grey area. Sometimes you have to head straight for danger to achieve your goals. No shinobi should take the safe way or the easy way. But don't you worry, Sakura. I won't let it go on more than I have to. I'm not that selfish."

Sakura knitted her eyebrows and nodded stiffly, accepting Akira's reasoning. However, was it truly what she thought? She glanced at the Sound Village Jōnin and at Kakashi. Would she want to worry her sensei this much and risk being taken off the exams because of this mark? Even if Kakashi didn't, who was to say someone else wouldn't after he was obligated to tell someone else about it. Then again... There was the less than trustworthy Jōnin from the Hidden Sound Village. He seemed like he delved into these kinds of things, especially since his team was so disreputable. Maybe he was the better option for this? Akira frowned and then raised her eyebrow, contemplating something.

 _'Or maybe,"_ she thought, _'two heads are better than one...'_


	30. Preliminaries

***This chapter is gonna be super super super long 'cause I wanna put all of the preliminary battles in this chapter so I don't have twenty million chapter called "Preliminaries". FYI, on my other website, I have 3-4 chapters for the prelims so be warned, it'll be long as hell. It's literally 13 544 words. So...** **I'll put page breaks for every "chapter" so that way you can stop there and come back later if your brain/eyes hurt too much. Happy reading!***

* * *

"All right, then. We will now begin the preliminary round."

Everyone's eyes suddenly turned back to Hayate Gekko, the proctor, as he began speaking about the preliminary round of the final part of the exam. The pain in Akira's shoulder only kept intensifying, but it wasn't like she could do anything about it. If it was indeed something given to her by Orochimaru, no doubt it was a curse mark of some kind. Nothing that evil man could do would simply turn out to be nothing. It had to be something bad.

"This round will consist in one-on-one individual combat, at full battle intensity. This is not an exercise. There are twenty-two of you remaining, so there will be exactly eleven battles. The surviving candidates from these eleven matches will advance to the third exam," Hayate said, surprisingly not coughing once. "As for the rules, there are none: you will fight until one dies or concedes, or unless I say otherwise. Obviously, those who know that they aren't going to win are advised to concede promptly, to avoid as many deaths as possible."

Akira nearly gulped. They were allowed to kill. Suddenly, an image of Haku flashed in Akira's mind and her eyes widened a bit. She would avoid it at all costs, but she couldn't guarantee anything for the other competitors. She also couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't mortally wound someone unintentionally, or because she was in the heat of the battle. Consciously, she didn't want to kill anyone, but she knew that when she got into battle properly, there wasn't much stopping her.

"Now, it's time to reveal what fate has chosen for you."

In the top left corner of the wall behind all the Jōnin and the Hokage, a panel slid away to reveal a blank, black screen.

"The names of each pair are chosen completely at random," Hayate said. "Before each match, these names will appear on the display behind me." Hayate looked sternly at all the candidates. "As there is nothing more to say, let's begin. In a moment, the names of the first two opponents will appear."

Suddenly, the black screen flashed yellow a few times and then hundreds of letter combinations began flickering on the screen. A few moments later, the names of the candidates participating in the first battle appeared. Akira gulped as she read: "Yoroi Akado vs Sasuke Uchiha." She looked at her brother - he was smiling. Akira chuckled, thinking, ' _Of course he's excited. What am I worried about?_ '

"All right. Now, those whose names are displayed, come forward."

Sasuke and one of Kabuto's teammates walked up to Hayate, then stood to face each other.

"Are there any objections?"  
"Yeah, why does Sasuke get all the fun, first?" Akira chuckled. Sasuke playfully glared at her.  
"Right, um, everyone other than the first two candidates please move up to the viewing area."

Akira sighed and turned towards the stairs. A flash of pain jabbed her in the shoulder as she turned, making her wince violently. Her face contorted even more when her burnt hand slammed itself onto her neck. ' _I really am in no condition to fight_ ,' she thought as she made her way up the stairs. She stood beside Kakashi-sensei and leaned over the railing, looking down at her brother.

"When it's your turn to fight, Akira, don't use your Sharingan," Kakashi whispered. Akira's eyes widened.  
"So you already know about this thing on my shoulder?" Akira whispered back.  
"If that mark on your neck gets out of control your life could be in danger."  
"I'm aware of that."  
"Just to let you know if it gets to that point, I'll have to step in and stop the fight."  
"Stop the - Sensei! That would mean I'd be-"  
"Disqualified, yes."

Akira, angry, tore her gaze away from her sensei and looked back at Sasuke. Another wave of pain surged through her neck and shoulders. Akira frowned and concentrated her chakra a little. There was another wave of pain, more intense this time. It seemed that the mark was responding to her chakra. Every time she used her chakra this thing got a little stronger. Would it gain more and more control over her this way? Most likely. In other words, both herself and Sasuke had to fight their battles without using any chakra at all. Akira sighed. It would have been easier if she had her swords with her. Unfortunately, they were still lying somewhere deep in the Forest of Death. Akira chuckled. Maybe she could laugh her opponent to death.

"Now, don't be an idiot and attack first," Akira whispered to herself. "Don't get cocky."

Just as she whispered those words, Yoroi through half a dozen shuriken at Sasuke which he blocked easily. But even the smallest concentration of his chakra sent a wave of pain through him and he fell to the ground. Within seconds, Yoroi was over him and swinging a punch, which Sasuke narrowly dodged. Yoroi's fist smashed the ground, sending shards of stone flying into the air. Sasuke plunged a kunai into the ground as he jumped away and used it as a pivot to smash Yoroi's leg. In a split second, Sasuke had his opponent in a headlock, but the fight wasn't over yet. All of a sudden, while still in a headlock, Yoroi grabbed Sasuke by the collar, his fist glowing bright blue.

"His chakra is visible..." Akira muttered. "What the hell is he doing?"

Moments later, Yoroi was free and Sasuke remained on the ground, barely moving. Akira's eyes widened and she gasped. All of Sasuke's strength was gone, Yoroi had absorbed his chakra. Before Akira could think any further, Yoroi launched himself at Sasuke and slammed his palm onto Sasuke's forehead, hand still engulfed in blue chakra. In mere seconds, Sasuke went limp.

"Sasuke, you idiot! What would your brother think of you!?" Akira yelled, furious. "There's no time for weakness!"  
"Get... Off me!" Sasuke yelled, kicking him in the stomach, which sent him flying.

Sasuke looked up at his sister, who nodded sternly, and he sat up just as Yoroi stood. He lunged at Sasuke again, and the boy rose shakily. He swung his chakra filled fist around at Sasuke, but he kept dodging every hit. It looked excessively tiring. And even though she should be mad at Yoroi for using that technique, she was more mad that Sasuke didn't have more in him than that. Naruto seemed to agree.

"Come on, Sasuke! What was that!? And you call yourself an Uchiha? You're embarrassing your sister up here!" Naruto shouted. "You're gonna let this goon walk all over ya? Come on, stop messing around and get it in gear!"  
"Can't argue with that," Akira mumbled, agreeing with a shrug of her shoulders and head.

Suddenly, Yoroi lunged once again but Sasuke kept dodging his punches. And then Sasuke disappeared, reappearing underneath Yoroi and kicking him upwards. Akira smirked. She recognized this technique; it was Lee's. Sasuke must have copied it with his Sharingan. Seconds later, he was flying underneath Yoroi, parallel to his body. However, Sasuke's body seized and Akira noticed that the mark on his neck was glowing orange. A flame-like pattern began spreading to his body and Akira noticed Kakashi-sensei take a step forward.

"Don't. He can control this, I know he can," she said.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kakashi take a step back. Akira stared intently at her brother, but mostly the flame-like pattern on his skin. A wave of pain seared through Akira's neck and her hand flew to the mark, stinging as it hit her skin. However, she managed to ignore it. Watching Sasuke's curse mark recede was way more important than her own pain. As soon as the flame pattern on Sasuke's face was gone, Sasuke continued with his attack. The rest of it was original. He feigned a kick to Yoroi's left and spun around to his right to kick his opponent in the face. Then with a flip, Sasuke kicked Yoroi down to the ground, knocking him out cold. Sasuke stood after a few moments.

"I'm declaring this match over," Hayate said. "As the winner of this preliminary round, Sasuke Uchiha moves on to the finals."  
"Told you he could do it," Akira smiled, looking over at Kakashi.

He chuckled and ruffled the girl's hair as he always did, a simple act of affection, then jumped down to the floor below and walked off with Sasuke. ' _Gone to seal off the mark, no doubt_ ,' Akira thought as she watched medical-nin drag Yoroi off the battlefield. Naruto and Sakura were cheering, and even Lee looked happy about the outcome. She looked over at the other side of the battlefield and noticed Gaara looking at her again. A strange sensation rose to her face and she looked away in a huff, choosing to lay her eyes on her brother's retreating figure. When he was gone and Yoroi was carried off, the second pair of candidates was announced on the board.

Akira gasped. It was Shino against... images of herself snapping someone's arms flashed in her mind. She looked down at the candidate that was fighting Shino and, sure enough, both his arms were in slings. That hadn't been a dream, she really had broken both of Zaku's arms. Akira gulped and stepped back from the railing, choosing not to watch this match. Instead, she went off to the end of the viewing area and sat there, staring at her own burnt hands. Her skin had started to peel, flaking off her arm every time it brushed against something, and revealing a shiny pink layer of skin. All while the battle raged below, Akira wondered if the scars would remain or if they'd disappear. She didn't know what she wanted; did she want the evidence of that battle with Orochimaru erased, or did she want to show her survival with pride?

Before she knew it, the battle was over and Shino had won with surprising ease. Once again, Zaku's arms were destroyed and this time, it seemed that they were beyond repair. When the battle was over, Akira looked over the railing again but she took a step back when she saw Zaku's arms. They were littered with holes, blood seeping from all of his pores, or so it seemed. She knew Shino was a bug tamer, but she had no idea he'd be this rough. Akira didn't spend much time on Zaku though, as the next pair of candidates were announced. At the same moment, Kakashi-sensei returned, but he was without Sasuke.

"Tsurugi Misumi and Kankuro, please step down to the arena," Hayate called.

Another one of Kabuto's old teammates stepped down from the viewing area as well as the boy from the Sand Village with all the face paint. Akira's eyes narrowed at him. She hoped he lost just for being a jerk to Konohamoru the other day. However, he won with as much ease as Shino. The large thing he carried on his back turned out to be a giant puppet, and Kankuro was quite skilled with it. Despite hating him profoundly, she had to admit that he was a great ninja.

Suddenly, Akira heard arguing to her left and she looked up at the screen. She rose an eyebrow after she'd read: "Sakura Haruno vs Ino Yamanaka" off the the board.

"This is going to be interesting," Akira muttered.

Up until then, all the battles had been terminated in five minutes or less, however, when Ino and Sakura stepped into the arena and began fighting, neither of them were down after over ten minutes. Akira was starting to get annoyed. They might have been fighting, but neither of them was fighting with any intent to cause harm. They were fighting like kids, as if they were training at the Academy. Akira sighed, bored, and went back to sit against the wall, ignoring the fight again. Through the bars of the railing, she observed the Sound Village Jōnin. He too wasn't paying any attention to the pedestrian-level fighting of two old childhood friends. Instead, he was staring right back at Akira. His gaze was intense, but she didn't waver under it. She simply stared back with equal intensity, hoping that he'd look away. But he didn't, he just kept staring. It was Akira who looked away when she heard Hayate call the match off, standing up to look over the railing and see the winner. It wasn't really much of a surprise to see that both girls were out cold. Akira smiled a little. At least Sakura didn't give up without a fight.

Akira's gaze was drawn towards the screen once again as it showed the next pair of fighters. "Temari vs Tenten", it said. The girl frowned. She didn't recognize those names, but she knew the faces. It was the Sand Ninja girl and the girl from Lee and Neji's team. Akira leaned against the railing, gaze fixed upon the Temari, the Sand Ninja. She was really curious to see what she could do with a large paper fan. Her midnight blue eyes flickered over to Kai. Akira also wondered what he would think of this. Kai was also a wind-style user, though he used two smaller fans as his ninja tools. That didn't mean he couldn't learn from this fight.

Immediately when the battle started, Tenten leaped backwards to distance herself from Temari. Akira frowned a little. What was the necessity of that if her opponent used a fan? Temari seemed to be a long distance fighter, if anything Tenten should be attacking her head on. However, neither of them moved. Akira looked at them, exasperated. Even the proctor was confused. But then Temari took a step forward, to which Tenten responded with a step back. It went on like this until they'd each moved a foot from their initial position. Then Temari taunted her opponent by insisting she attack first. Unfortunately for Tenten, she fell for it. Akira sighed.

"This match is already over," she whispered.  
"You think?" Kai said, suddenly appearing beside Akira. Shikamaru and Kiba were there too.  
"Temari has got Tenten right where she wants her. Tenten is probably just keeping a safe distance, good for attacking or defending, but I'm pretty sure Temari has got her in the ideal position for her own attack. She looks the type to do that."  
"The type?" Kiba said, confused.  
"Like Shikamaru. A strategist."  
"She's right. Sand Village wins again," Shikamaru sighed.

All four heads turned back to the match, expecting Tenten to lose. Akira was rarely wrong and this wasn't a time to doubt her, not when any kind of error would be devastating, no matter how small it was. Misinterpreting your opponent however, was probably the biggest mistake you could make. Tenten was doing just that.

Tenten then jumped high into the air and shot a handful of shuriken at Temari. But the sand ninja flickered and by the time the shuriken had reached her, Temari was a foot to the left and out of the way. Akira rose an eyebrow, mildly impressed. She was fast. Akira winced as another wave of pain shot her neck. She cursed under hear breath. Now would be the perfect time to use her Sharingan, but with this curse mark loose and feeding off her chakra, it wasn't the best idea to use it to analyze Temari's moves. She'd jut have to do it with her trained eye.

Just then, Tenten jumped into the air and pulled out a scroll with she dramatically spun around her in the air. Moments later, a shower of weapons was falling towards Temari. Akira concentrated on the Sand ninja. Once again, all Akira saw was a flicker. But this time, when Temari was standing still again, her fan was open a little and she was leaning on it. On the open part of the fan there was a purple circle; Temari called this the "First Moon". Akira frowned. When all three moons would be revealed, the battle would be over. Tenten was getting frazzled at this point, but Akira understood what was going on. She was like Kai, she was a wind-style user as well, and that fan was an extension of her own body, like her swords were. Just then, Tenten pulled out two other scrolls. She performed a number of hand signs and then crouched down, placing both scrolls on the ground standing up. Suddenly the scrolls exploded and a large cloud of smoke filled the battlefield, then two smoke dragons rose from where the scrolls were and began spinning upwards in a helix. The smoke cleared in an instant and the two dragons were revealed to be the two scrolls she'd brought out. Tenten then jumped up inside the helix and began pulling out various weapons and throwing them at Temari. The Sand ninja simply smiled and unfolded her fan to the "second moon", waving it in front of her to create a giant gust of wind, blowing all of Tenten's weapons away. But then invisible strings attached to Tenten's arms appeared and gleamed in the light, attached to the weapons. She pulled them up as she jumped in the air again, and sent the weapons flying towards Temari again. However, Temari wasn't phased by it and simply unfolded her fan to the "third moon" and blew the weapons as well as Tenten away. And then to everyone's surprise, Temari swung her fan in front of her and disappeared from view along with it, reappearing behind her only seconds later. With a powerful tornado jutsu, Tenten was sent flying upwards, getting up by the blades of wind in the tornado Temari had created. When the tornado dissipated, Tenten fell down limply, her back landing directly on Temari's folded fan. She was almost folded in half.

"Like I said," Akira sighed. "Another win for the Sand Village. Wonder who's nex- Oh. Shikamaru, you're up."  
"And against that Sound Village girl? What a drag..." Shikamaru complained.  
"Knock her out cold, Shikamaru!"  
"Yeah, yeah."

Shikamaru lazily walked down to the arena and stood in front of the sound ninja girl, Tsuchi Kin. Ino began cheering like a cheerleader which was the first sign of life from her in a while. To be honest, Akira wanted to stuff a sock in her mouth to shut her up, but she couldn't so Ino just kept on shouting.

"Put a sock in it, would you!?" Akira shouted at Ino. "Let him think, dammit!"  
"You put a sock in it, Uchiha!" Ino shot back.

In the blink of an eye, Akira threw a kunai at Ino's feet and glared at her.

"Next one goes in your foot. Let him think."  
"O-Okay..."

By the time Akira turned back to the fight, it had already begun. Both Kin and Shikamaru were pointing kunai at each other, but Shikamaru's shadow was stretched towards the girl. She was trapped in his jutsu, but why were they pointing kunai at each other? Akira tried to analyze the scene, but she never had Shikamaru's brain. Then Shikamaru made to throw the kunai and Kin mirrored his movements. Akira raised an eyebrow - he wasn't going to throw a kunai at himself was he? Just then, Shikamaru and Kin threw their kunai at each other and moments before it hit them, both of them bent backwards to dodge them. The only difference was, Kin knocked herself out on the wall behind her. Akira sighed and gazed deadpan at her friend.

"Now that's what I call using your head," Shikamaru said, standing back up.  
"Did he just..." Akira sighed. "What. An. Idiot."  
"All right! Way to go Shikamaru!" Kai cheered, smiling brightly.  
"Keep it down will you?" Shikamaru said, walking back to his friends. "You're almost as bad as Ino."  
"Rude."  
"Come over here, you," Akira said, beckoning Shikamaru over. "Let me get these senbon out."  
"You don't hav- OW!"  
"Don't move."

Akira spent the next few seconds removing the senbon from Shikamaru's body and pulled out some bandages from one of her pouches and patched him up.

"Good as new."  
"Thanks. Can you fix your arms now?"  
"No, it wouldn't be fair. Everyone went in with their fatigue and their injuries, I have to do the same."  
"Quit being so noble - yeah, I'm up next!" Kiba shouted. Akamaru barked happily from atop his head. "Shame I'm up against Naruto and not you Kira. I would've loved to kick your ass."  
"Keep dreaming kid," Akira chuckled.  
"Eh, I'll just beat up the knucklehead."

Akira laughed, but it wasn't her usual laugh, it sounded so innocent that it was sly, devious. The mischievous smile on her face didn't help her case either. Kiba, Shikamaru and Kai turned towards her, confused. She looked down at Naruto who was already in position.

"Don't underestimate your opponent, Kiba Inuzuka. That's the biggest mistake a shinobi can make."  
"What's that supposed to mean!?"

Akira turned towards Kiba and smirked mischievously, a gleam in her eye.

"You'll see."

* * *

Naruto and Kiba stood face to face in front of Hayate, glaring at each other. Even Akamaru was growling at Naruto. Neither of them, however, was being shy; both boys were insulting each other relentlessly, telling the other that they were the one to come up on top. Akira sighed, thinking, ' _Boys_.' Hayate did the usual introductions and then signaled the beginning of the fight. Sakura began shouting profanities about Kiba and Akira threatened her with a kunai like she did with Ino, and surprisingly she fell silent. Hinata was cheering for Kiba, her teammate, but Akira wouldn't be surprised if she was secretly rooting for Naruto. She couldn't blame her, after all, she herself was secretly rooting for Kiba. She had a strange soft spot for that hot head.

Kiba set Akamaru aside to start off the fight, thinking he alone was enough to take on Naruto. He crouched down and put his hands together in a seal Akira recognized after training with him so much. Suddenly, Kiba's body began seeping bright blue chakra. It rose out of him like flames. Akira rose an eyebrow; she didn't remember Kiba being this strong. Then he got on all fours, his nails shifting into claws and his already prominent canines turning into fangs. With lighting fast speed, Kiba launched himself at Naruto and elbowed him in the stomach sending him flying. Though Naruto remained down, Akira didn't think he'd stay down for much longer.

As predicted, it only took a few more seconds for Naruto to stand back up. Kiba was visibly irritated and everyone else was shocked, well except Akira and Sakura, of course. And then Naruto made the mistake of mentioning Akamaru. Just then, Kiba and Akamaru ran at Naruto together and then seconds later everything was engulfed in purple smoke from a smoke grenade Kiba had thrown. Akira frowned, fingers tightening around the railing. This was Kiba's ideal environment, surely he was going to do some damage to Naruto like this. Akira couldn't see anything, but she could definitely hear Naruto getting hit repeatedly. Suddenly, Naruto emerged from one end of the smoke cloud, thinking he was free and clear. However, Akamaru was waiting for him and the dog bit down on Naruto's arm, sending them both back into the smoke. Kiba walked out of the smoke and waited patiently for it to dissipate. When it did, all Akira could see was Naruto lying in the fetal position with Akamaru sitting peacefully beside him. But then the unthinkable happened. Akamaru bit Kiba, and quite violently at that. Akira looked back at Naruto and smiled despite herself. ' _That boy is always full of surprises!_ ' she thought to herself. Suddenly, Akamaru vanished in a puff of smoke and Naruto appeared, biting down on Kiba's arm and the knocked down Naruto stood up holding Akamaru captive.

Akira smirked. She was right, Kiba was going to have to work for his win, that's if he _was_ going to win. At this rate, Naruto is going to take this match. But then Kiba threw something at Akamaru which he caught in his mouth. All of a sudden, the dog's hair turned a deep shade of brown and he became much more vicious, kicking the Naruto clone in the head to escape to Kiba's side. Akira frowned. Food pills? And Kiba was taking one too? What kind of jutsu was he planning on performing? Suddenly, Kiba crouched down with his hands in a seal, his canine attributes drastically enhanced, and Akamaru jumped on his back. In a puff of smoke, Akamaru transformed into a more rabid form of Kiba, but Kiba had also turned into a more rabid form of himself. Akira's eyes widened and she couldn't help but smile widely. This was the jutsu he kept trying to do properly during training sessions!

"Man Beast Clones..." Akira whispered, in awe.

Both of them, Akamaru and Kiba, were both part beast and part man, but just as rabid as a starved wolf. There was a crazed look in their eyes; Kiba wasn't fooling around anymore. Right now, because of the food pills, Kiba and Akamaru's chakra must be doubled in power.

The two beast clones immediately lunged at Naruto who barely had time to move before their claws ripped at him. They wasted no time in lunging again, swiping their claws at Naruto. The clones even climbed walls and jumped off of them to launch themselves at Naruto from different angles at the same time. Kiba was relentless. Already he fought like a wild beast, his chakra already intense without the food pills, and now this? Naruto was going to have a hard time as well. Neither of them was going to out easily. Naruto was going to have to outwit Kiba, and Kiba was going to have to drain Naruto until he reached his limit.

Just then Kiba gained an advantage. One of Naruto's feet left the ground and he was sent off-balance. He dodged a few attacks then jumped up high to land and reposition, but apparently that's what Kiba wanted. Both clones then jumped in the air as well, but began spinning themselves so that they'd drill into anything they came into contact with, and then they intersected and hit Naruto at the same time, from two different angles, sending the boy flying ten feet away. Naruto landed flat on his face, spitting blood, and the beast clones landed swiftly a little ways away, unscathed. Akira looked at Kiba shocked. She didn't remember Kiba to be that strong. Kurenai-sensei was doing wonders on him.

Unsurprisingly, however, Naruto stood up once again. Akira had seen this determination before, and she was happy Naruto was consistent with it.

"Yeah, that's it! On your feet Naruto!" Akira shouted. "If I can't kick Kiba's ass, do it for me!"  
"It'll be... my pleasure... Akira," Naruto said between breaths.

Kiba and Akamaru used the same move again, and although Naruto saw it coming, he only just had the time to move out of the way, landing clumsily on the ground as the beast clones landed as they usually did. Then Kiba came at him with the smoke bombs again and the arena was once more engulfed in purple smoke. This time, Kiba and Akamaru used the "Fang Over Fang" method repeatedly, always aiming for the cloud of smoke. Akira couldn't see inside so she couldn't tell if Naruto was getting hit or not. She just hoped that Naruto had something up his sleeve, because if he didn't, he was a dead man.

"Come on, Naruto. You can't beat him with strength... Think! Use that brain of yours!" Akira muttered.  
"Brain?" Shikamaru scoffed.  
"He isn't you, but thinking up weird stuff on the fly is his specialty."

When the smoke dissipated and Akira could see again, she smiled brightly and cheered to herself. Naruto had transformed himself into Kiba, making him indistinguishable from the other two. Now Kiba wouldn't know which is Naruto and which is Akamaru. Meanwhile, Naruto is safe attacking either one.

"Brilliant."  
"Gotta hand it to him," Kai said. "My partner in crime has gotten good."  
"You haven't done crime in a while, Kai. He's my partner, now," Akira smirked.

Kiba sniffed out Naruto and punched one of the versions of himself, but it skidded across the room and turned into Akamaru. Outraged, he punched the other one, but it also turned into Akamaru. Akira frowned. Where was all this thought process coming from? When did Naruto become so tricky? Then it dawned on her, ' _Of course. He's the resident class clown_.' Suddenly, the Akamaru that was behind Kiba disappeared in a puff of smoke and revealed Naruto who ran at Kiba and kicked him straight in the jaw. After he fell, Kiba sat back up and stared at the knocked out Akamaru. He then turned to Naruto, angrier than ever. Akira sighed.

"This is the end for Kiba. He's letting his anger get the best of him. Not that I blame him, though," Akira said, leaning lazily against the railing. But by then Kiba had calmed himself down. "Oh, he's smart enough to calm down. Guess Naruto has to think some more."

Suddenly, Kiba lunged at him, throwing shuriken by the dozen. Naruto narrowly dodged every single one of them, but he left himself open to an attack. Kiba saw this and grew out his claws again, aiming straight for Naruto. Akira's heart was pounding in her chest. She was nervous. For both of them. Just then, Naruto landed on the ground and got hit straight in the chest with Kiba's fist, and he was sent skidding backwards. When he stopped, Kiba was already at his side and punched him square in the jaw, knocking Naruto sideways. Once again, before Naruto even had the chance to build up his chakra, Kiba slashed down at him with his claws, creating a gash on Naruto's face and sending him flying backwards. Right now, Kiba was too fast and too strong for Naruto. It would take a miracle for Naruto to win at this point. But then as if by chance, Kiba slashed at Naruto head on which allowed him to grab Kiba's arm and throw him into a wall. Naruto's arm was bleeding profusely, beads of blood dripping onto the floor and creating a small puddle. But Kiba was left unphased again, as he built up his chakra again and it flowed visibly out of his body, like blue flames. He ran at Naruto with incredible speed and slashed at his other arm, landing at hit. Then he came from behind and landed another hit. But Naruto stood up again.

"Naruto's like a bad cold," Shikamaru said. "Kiba just can't seem to shake him off."  
"Yeah," Akira agreed, absent-minded. Her full attention was on Kiba and Naruto. She didn't even hear what Shikamaru had said.

Whether it was a stroke of good luck or the Gods of stupidity that were watching over Naruto, just as Kiba was about to laugh an attack from behind, Naruto passed gas and shocked Kiba's sensitive nose so bad that he recoiled and let himself get hit by Naruto's dozens of Shadow Clones. In the end, it was Naruto that came out victorious. Hayate Gekko announed Naruto as the winner and, as soon as Naruto began cheering for himself, Akira jumped down from the viewing area and ran up to Kiba, tripping a little bit over her feet. She skidded to a halt and planted herself on her knees right beside him.

"Kiba? You awake?"

Watched as the medical-nin placed her friend on a stretcher and began walking away with him. She followed calmly.

"You know, that was a battle to be proud of. You would have won if Naruto didn't accidentally pass gas in front of your nose," Akira chuckled.  
"I know. Guess you win, huh?" Kiba said, turning his head towards Akira.  
"Who knows. Maybe I'll lose my battle as well. You never know if the odds will play against you, or if talent will be enough to save you. Besides, my arms are burnt - I can barely feel them anymore; I don't have any swords to use; and I'm in excruciating pain. Right now, the odds are against me."

Kiba glanced at Akira's burnt arms, and his eyebrows knitted.

"Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself and Akamaru, Mr. Food Pills. You realise that you'll be out for days."

Kiba smirked.

"Just one day. I guarantee it."

* * *

Akira made it back to her original position beside Kai and Shikamaru, looking down at Kiba talking to Hinata, before he was taken away and she walked back up as well. Anxiously, Akira looked at the viewing screen. She hadn't had her turn yet and there weren't many opponents left that she'd like to face.

Facing Choji and Dosu would be easy; she knew Choji wasn't that strong and she also knew what Dosu's abilities were and how to work against him. But then there were opponents like Gaara, Lee and Neji; Gaara was a complete mystery, though she could tell there was something off with that boy just by looking into his eyes; Lee was a fearsome taijutsu user and with arms burned like hers, Akira wasn't even able to use ninjustsu or genjutsu to compensate for that lack of close combat ability; and then there was Neji Hyuga, the one whom she expected the most out of because of his name, and reputation as best rookie last year. Of course, there was also Kai and Hinata left to battle, but she doubted that she'd have to fight either of them, even though the fights were generated randomly. However, if she fought Hinata, Akira had no idea what to expect. She was a gentle fist user, like Neji probably was, but it was Hinata, a girl prone to giving up when the pressure was too much. That would be fine if she went up against her, but if Akira wasn't to face her, she hoped that someone, or even she herself, gave her the courage to not back down. Kai Manzo... Akira's best friend since she came out of the womb, basically. She knew all of his tricks, from A to Z. They trained together daily, even when they weren't supposed to. There were no secrets. Fighting Kai wouldn't be easy for the simple fact that they could predict each other's moves just because they knew each other so well.

Just then, names appeared on the screen and Akira gasped. "Neji Hyuga VS Hinata Hyuga", Akira read off the screen. Hinata didn't look any less shocked than herself, but Neji seemed more angry than anything else, as if he didn't find his cousin to be a worthy enough challenge for him. If Akira wasn't mistaken, because of the bad blood between the main family and all of its counterparts, Neji would take this way too seriously, as if he was battling for honour in his clan. Akira's jaw clenched. He wouldn't hesitate to kill his own family for this...

As soon as Hayate gave the all clear, Neji didn't hesitate to insult Hinata right from the beginning, telling she that she wasn't suited to be a ninja and that she should withdraw from this fight. He kept hurling insult after insult until both Naruto and Akira had had enough.

"Shut up, Neji! If you're so sure you're going to beat her then do it, but don't insult her like that just because you have an inferiority complex!"

Neji looked up and glared at Akira, who was looking down at him in anger.

"There is no need for your intervention, Akira Uchiha," Neji said calmly, fury behind his pale eyes. "Hinata has no strength. I am merely reminding her."  
"It is a sign of strength to admit you are weak and pull forward anyway. The weakness you speak of is in those who speak freely of other people's weaknesses, and ignore their own as if they had none. Hypocrisy, Neji Hyuga... is weakness."

Angry, Neji turned back to Hinata and put his hand together to form a familiar seal. Moments, later, veins popped out from underneath the skin around Neji's eyes and his nonexistent pupils took form, concentrating a darker shade of his eye colour in the center. Akira's eyebrows shot up.

"The Byakugan..."  
"I think you struck a nerve, Kira," Kai commented.

Under the intensity of Neji's stare, even Akira would have problems staying composed, but it was evident that Hinata wasn't all right. She couldn't look at him, she was shaking. It didn't help that he kept antagonizing her. At this rate, this was going to be more of a psychological battle rather than a fight, and Hinata was going to be the one to surrender.

"That does it!" Naruto suddenly screamed. Akira's head snapped towards him. "Who gave you the right to tell her what she can and can't be!? Go on, Hinata! Show this guy he's wrong!"

Akira smiled and looked back down at Hinata. She was already calmer than she was mere seconds ago.

"Keep going, Naruto, keep going," Akira whispered to herself, looking back at the blond.  
"Hinata, you just gonna stand there and take that!? Do something, you're driving me crazy!"

The second Akira looked back at Hinata, she knew that what Naruto had said, had worked. Her stance was different, her body was no longer shaking. She was looking down, but Akira could tell it was a steady gaze waiting to glare up at Neji, her fists clenched in rage. The confidence that was coming from her was astounding. Then she looked up, performing hand signs, and by the time her eyes landed on Neji, her own Byakugan was awakened.

Battle ensued. The gentle fist style was a wonder to observe, the way that every hit was infused with a bit of chakra to make the small taps feel like being stabbed by a knife. Pale blue chakra shot out of Hinata and Neji's hands and they fought, almost like a dance, their movements fairly synchronized. Akira stared at their hands. The way that they shot out chakra was similar to the way she did it to shoot bullets of water. Maybe the gentle fist technique was something she could use to improve her own skills... but it was only known by the Hyuga clan, and she doubted either of them would let her learn. She'd use her Sharingan to observe and copy, saving this technique for later, but with the curse mark still freely taking its toll on her body, Akira couldn't take any chances.

Eventually, the subtly of the Gentle Fist technique began to yield results. Hinata had managed to land a few blows with her chakra, but Neji had started to attack her chakra network, landing blows on pressure points to block the flow of chakra in her body. But just like Naruto, when Hinata fell, she got back up and kept going until Neji had disabled both of her arms. However, Hinata rose again, determined not to give in to Neji. Angered, Neji concentrated an excessive amount of chakra into his fist and dashed for Hinata, intending on finishing this battle once and for all. If she took one more hit, Hinata was done for. Luckily, Hayate, Kurenai, Kakashi and Guy all intervened before this happened, stopping Neji from delivering the final blow just before Hinata collapsed. In the end, Neji won, but Hinata put up a brave fight. The bravest fight Akira had ever seen. And even thought they weren't that close, Akira was proud of her.

"Hey, you!" Akira heard to her left. She turned and saw Kankuro walking towards her and rolled her eyes. "What're you doing here on your own? Why aren't you with your friends like you were a minute ago?"  
"I'm not in the mood for pleasantries, Kankuro, just ask your questions and get out of here," Akira sighed, not bothering to look back at him.  
"What's up with this Neji guy? Seems like he's got a grudge and a few screws loose."

Akira snorted despite her better judgement. Even Kankuro raised an eyebrow at her.

"Did you just... laugh?"  
"I wish I hadn't, however, can't help but laugh at the truth of that statement," Akira said calmly, turning to look at Kankuro. "Neji isn't my favourite person, therefore I don't feel any guilt sharing information about him."  
"Thanks. Though, quick question... Do you always talk like this? All nice and proper?"

Akira turned back towards the arena, looking down.

"Before its fall, the Uchiha clan was the most prestigious and feared clan in all of Konohagakure. We had expectations from other clans, the villagers (who mostly feared us), and even within the clan we had to abide by certain rules and codes of conduct. My brother has lost his sense of nobility and respect, but I haven't."  
"Fair enough. Anyway, Neji?"  
"Neji Hyuga is a member of the side branch of the Hyuga clan. Since my clan's downfall, they have since replaced us in status and rank. He holds a grudge against the main branch of the family for a reason I do not know. However, if I were to make an educated guess, I would say that he's angered by the fact that he is stronger than most of the members of the main branch, and that they will not acknowledge it. Hinata is part of the main branch, hence the fact he got so mad and went to kill her when she said that he was the only one upset over the feud between the different branches of the family."  
"And that technique they were using?" Kankuro asked, going to stand beside Akira.  
"Gentle Fist. Contrary to regular taijutsu, the Hyuga clan style of taijutsu doesn't rely on crushing blows to break bone. Instead, it attacks the chakra network as well as internal organs. Because, as I'm sure you know, although you look quite stupid, even the strongest of shinobi can't train their internal organs to take blows. Gentle fist is subtle, but it can cause devastating results."  
"Did you just say I looked stupid!?" Kankuro shouted.  
"Out of all that you just retained the fact that I said you looked stupid?" Akira said, raising an eyebrow at him.  
"Priorities."  
"That's fair."

Just then, a wave of pain shot throughout Akira's body, originating at the neck. She winced and nearly doubled over, but she merely clenched her jaw and squeezed the railing harder. Kankuro glanced at her.

"You're not fit to battle, are you?"  
"Hell no," Akira said through clenched teeth, discarding her usual speech mannerisms. "Definitely not."

Kankuro stared at her for a moment, but looked at the viewing screen when Akira's eyes widened in the slightest. The next fight was between Gaara and Lee. The girl cursed mentally. This was the best moment to use her Sharingan, but she couldn't... she wouldn't. In a cloud of sand, Gaara disappearing from the other side of the arena, on the other viewing balcony, and appeared on the floor below. Lee merely jumped down, landing softly on his feet.

"Mind if I stay here to watch the fight?" Kankuro asked.  
"Knock yourself out."  
"I don't know what kind of moves the kid with the dumb haircut has got, but he'll never take Gaara down. Not in this lifetime."  
"Lee is stronger than you think, Kankuro," Akira said. "However, that Gaara of yours has got a look in his eye which makes me think you're right on this one."

As soon as Hayate called the start of the match, Lee ran head on towards Gaara, and the cork on his gourd flew off with extreme speed. As soon as he was in range, Lee went to attack. He was faster than she'd ever seen him, but he didn't manage to land a single hit on Gaara, because the second Gaara was threatened, a large amount of sand flew out of his gourd and shielded itself without Gaara having to move an inch. Unlike her, who had to move the water with chakra, his sand moved of its own accord. Akira watched wide eyed as the sand then formed what looked like a clawed hand and went to attack Lee. Luckily, he moved out of the way just in time.

"So that's what's in Gaara's gourd..."  
"Fun jutsu, isn't it?" Kankuro said, almost gloating.  
"I know that's not a jutsu, Kankuro, so stop trying to fool me," Akira said, eyed fixed on Gaara. "What... What is he?"

' _What am I?_ ' Akira thought, referring to her own ability to move water the way she did. If this bloodthirsty-looking kid had more or less the same ability as her, then what did that make Akira? If she used the curse mark's power, would she end up being able to move water without thinking about it? As if the thing itself knew, the curse mark pulsated pain throughout Akira's body and this time she wasn't able to hide it from Kankuro. She visibly winced and doubled over a little bit, face screwed up in pain.

Lee ran at Gaara again, but all he was hitting was sand. The sand was blocking all of Lee's kicks and punches, not allowing him to land a hit on the kid from the Hidden Sand Village. The sand was just as fast as Lee and eventually, it became faster, making Lee duck back from its own attacks numerous times. Lee couldn't even get any kunai or shuriken through. And Gaara? He was just standing there, still and silent, like an unmovable object. Suddenly, the sand lashed out and got a hold of Lee's foot and swung him around, flinging him into a wall. Lee got back up just in time to avoid another hit from the sand and ran back towards Gaara, trying to hit him in the face, but the sand didn't allow it. Instead, it defended and counter-attacked, forcing Lee to retreat using a series of backflips. However, on the last one, his foot landed on Gaara's sand and he fell, allowing the sand to form into a giant ball and come crashing down onto him. Good thing Lee was faster than that. The next thing Akira knew he was at the top of the statue that stood at the back of the stage. Moments later, Lee had removed the weights that were attached to his legs for training and, with an unexpected crash, they fell to the ground. Akira rose an eyebrow. Lee was already fast without the weights. she could only image how fast he was without them.

As soon as they were removed, Lee flickered from his position and reappeared behind Gaara. Akira's eye widened dramatically as Lee punched through the sand this time. And then he flickered again, this time in front of Gaara, and the sand wasn't able to keep up. He was getting punches through a little faster than the sand, making Gaara's stony expression turn into one of shock. For a second, he almost looked human. And then all of a sudden, Lee kicked Gaara straight in the face, coming from above. Everyone in the arena gasped. Lee came at him again and Gaara actually had to move the sand himself this time in order to block his attack, but Lee antagonized him, appearing and disappearing with such speed Akira wasn't sure even the Sharingan would be able to keep up with. Then Lee kicked Gaara again, sending the red-haired boy skidding across the arena on his back.

Gaara stood up, still bent over, his sand swirling like flames around him as it poured almost lazily out of his gourd. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kankuro take a step back. She looked at him and frowned.

"Uh oh..." he whispered.  
"Uh oh?" Akira asked, suddenly worried.

Akira looked back at Gaara and frowned. There were shards of hardened sand falling from his face, and he was trembling. When he looked up, Akira gulped. There was a crazed look in his eye, as if there was a demon inside him, and he was breathing heavily. A layer of hardened sand was now visible and it was all over his skin, a last line of defense should a lucky ninja break through his original sand guard. Suddenly, the sand pooling around his feet began to crawl back up his body and reform his body and face, making the crazed eyes and smile disappear, the stony expression returning once more.

"The hits Lee landed... they meant nothing, did they?" Akira asked, a little scared.  
"No, they didn't do anything," Kankuro said, stepping forward again. "It's like he's wearing a suit of armour. Ordinarily, those shifting clouds of sand are enough to shield him, but in the even the shield is penetrated, Gaara can also wear the sand like armour as a last line of defense."  
"Incredible... The amount of chakra it must take to maintain that..."

Just then, Lee began undoing the bandages around his wrists and Akira knew what was going to happen, she'd seem him do this before. All of a sudden he dashed towards Gaara and then swerved, spinning around him until he was barely visible due to his speed. Then out of nowhere, he kicked Gaara in the chin, sending him upward, and he kept on kicking Gaara upwards repeatedly. The bandages that Lee had untied then began to wrap themselves around Gaara, trapping him in some sort of cocoon. Lee grabbed Gaara from behind and shot himself and Gaara down to the ground, get out of the way just before impact. A large cloud of dust and rock rose into the air upon impact, and when the smoke cleared Akira saw Lee crouching beside Gaara who was lying flat on his back in the middle of a crater. His eyes were wide open and the sand armour was cracked all over. Gaara wasn't moving.

"Lee won?" Akira asked, not believing her eyes.  
"I don't believe it," Kankuro muttered.

But then all of a sudden, Akira noticed that Gaara's face was caving in. Piece by piece what she thought was armour disappeared and turned into a pile of sand. She didn't even notice when Gaara had substituted himself for a clone; she assumed it was sometime when they were in the air. Gaara appeared behind Lee in a cloud of smoke, laughing maliciously. A chill went down Akira's spine and she felt a surge of power in the air. When she looked at Gaara, she saw that the demon-like look was back.

"So it's happened, just as I thought..." Kankuro said, looking truly afraid. Akira turned to look at him. "That look in his eyes... It could only mean the demon inside him has been awakened."  
"Kankuro..." Akira said tentatively. "When you say demon, you don't mean an actual demon, do you?"

Kankuro simply looked at her and she knew. Gaara was like Naruto, there was a demon inside him. But unlike Naruto, Gaara's demon didn't seem to be sealed at all. The demon, if awakened, was free to take over Gaara's mind and do whatever it wanted. Suddenly, Gaara made a hand sign and the sand all around him shot out in arms going in different directions and then they went straight for Lee, hitting him one at a time. In his weakened state, because of the Primary Lotus, all Lee could do was take the hits and fly backwards, getting back up with great difficulty. However, Lee was knocked back down by a literal wave of sand sent towards him, then more arms of sand hit him one at a time while he was pinned to the wall after the wave.

"The poor kid is helpless, he doesn't have anything left," Kankuro whispered.  
"That's why the Primary Lotus is a forbidden technique. It takes too much out of the user," Akira sighed, almost growling in frustration.  
"Gaara's just toying with him now. He'll be lucky if he survives."

Akira cursed.

"Why isn't the demon sealed?" she said, only loud enough for Kankuro to hear. "As unstable as Gaara is, he could have destroyed your village ten times over by now."  
"That's none of your business," Kankuro said.  
"There is a demon running around in _my_ village, of course it's my business!"

Akira's attention was drawn by another wave of sand crashing down on Lee. When she looked towards him, he was lying face first on the ground, trembling. Akira's eyes then glanced over at Gaara, specifically his eyes. His piercing gaze was lethal, nothing but pure evil behind them. His eyes were much different now than the first time she'd met him. Back then, he only seemed emotionless. This was something else.

Sand began gathering up towards Gaara again, then in the blink of an eye a large hand of sand crashed down on Lee's back, making him cry out in pain. However, Lee stood back up as Gaara prepared for another attack and when the sand launched itself towards him, Lee dodged every single attack. Akira's eyes widened. How could Lee still move like that? Why was Lee willing to move like that? Suddenly, Akira sensed another surge of power, but this time it wasn't Gaara's. Power radiated upwards from Lee's body and a whirlwind began swirling around him. Pale blue chakra began rising out of him as well, and his skin was beginning to turn bright red. Akira's eyes widened and she gasped. She knew what this was, she'd read about it somewhere. Lee had just opened three of the eight inner gates, tremendously increasing his strength, speed and stamina. If he'd performed the Primary Lotus, and he was opening the inner gates, that could only mean...

Akira turned towards Guy and Kakashi-sensei. It seemed that Kakashi was reprimanding Guy for something, and his Sharingan was visible. Akira's sensei glanced over and looked at her. They held each other's gaze for a moment and he nodded. Akira gasped. She was right. Lee was going to perform the Hidden Lotus.

"What's it mean? What's happening?" Kankuro said, confused.  
"He's opening the eight inner gates," Akira said, shocked.  
"The what?"  
"They're figurative valves that limit one's chakra flow throughout the body. By opening these gates, Lee is gaining unimaginable power. If you open all eight gates, your power could increase tenfold. But it comes at a risk... if you open all eight gates, or if Lee opens one more than he should... he'll die."

Suddenly, Lee launched himself at Gaara in the blink of an eye and kicked him straight in the jaw again. The speed at which he'd moved created a dent in the floor where he'd ran, sending shards of stone and dust everywhere. Akira shielded her eyes, and when the dust cleared Gaara was in the air again, his armour cracking. Suddenly, Lee appeared over him and kicked him back down, and he reappeared behind Gaara and kicked him back up. He did this over and over again, the sand shield unable to keep up with Lee's speed. And then, Lee punched Gaara so hard, a sonic wave blew through the arena. Akira looked away, using her arms to shield her face. She felt every chunk of stone land on her burnt arms, pain radiating throughout. Just as Akira looked back, Gaara's gourd began to disintegrate into a sand and then the red-haired boy hit the ground. Akira gasped, leaning over the railing in anticipation. Had the gourd cushioned his fall? On the other side, Lee was rolling on the ground and when he stopped, he sat up. And when the dust cleared once more, Akira saw that Gaara was still conscious and breathing.

"He survived the fall..." Akira gasped.

Just then, Gaara's hand reached towards Lee, the sand beginning to slowly rise an bend to his will. Lee could barely move; he couldn't stand and he could barely crawl out of the way. The sand was slowly gaining on Lee and when it eventually reached him, it trapped his left arm and leg. Then a scream was heard throughout the arena as Gaara used his sand to crush every fiber of Lee's two limbs. Akira gasped and looked away, immediately reminded of what she'd done to Zaku while under the influence of the curse mark. Moments later, everything went quiet and Akira looked back down at the battlefield. Guy-sensei was standing in front of an unconscious Lee and Gaara was slowly standing up. Suddenly, he held his head in pain and looked at Guy.

"But why? He failed," Gaara said, wheezing in pain. "Why save him?"  
"Because he's... Because he's my student, and also because he is precious to me," Guy said.

Akira's eyes widened and then she frowned. Friends were precious, family was precious... but a student? Shinobi weren't permitted to bring their personal feelings into play this way. They were supposed to remain detached, conceal their emotions until the day they died. But saying that Lee was precious to him in front of everyone, even the Hokage who was still in the stands... Akira didn't understand how he could do that. Surely, Guy knew that Hayate was going to stop the match before there was an unnecessary death. He didn't have to intervene.

Gaara stood properly and he and Guy glared at each other for a moment, although it seemed that Gaara was mere looking at him lazily. Then the gourd reshaped itself and clinged to his back once more before Gaara began to walk out of the arena.

"I quit," he said.  
"What?" Akira whispered, not believing her ears. "He quits? But he's won. He won the second Guy intervened."

Akira watched him as he left. Whether he sensed her gaze or not, Akira didn't know, but he turned his head to look back at her and they held each other's gaze for a moment. Akira didn't look away or recoil when her eyes met his. She simply stared at him in a mixture of confusion, anger and fascination until he looked away. However, he stopped walking as Lee passed by him, being carried on a stretcher. For a moment, Gaara did nothing, but then he disappeared in a cloud of sand and reappeared next to Temari. Akira looked at him and nodded to herself, satisfied that he hadn't quit.

"You're happy he didn't quit?" Kankuro said, then took a sip of water from a bottle he had in his hand. Akira stared at it for a moment.  
"If he'd left, then he'd have gone through all that for nothing," she said, looking back towards the arena.  
"Well, I'm gonna go back to my team. You know, you're not half bad, Uchiha."  
"I know."

Kankuro chuckled and left her side, returning to his sensei and the rest of his team. Then Guy cleared the battlefield and returned up to the viewing area, just before the screen began randomizing names again. Akira's gaze hardened the instant the names appeared and she didn't waste any time in jumping down onto the battlefield. She didn't like it one bit, being the center of attention. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, staring at her arms and the way she winced every now and then because of the pain from the curse mark. Everyone, including the proctor, could tell that she was in no condition to fight, that she was weak. But Akira wasn't going to let any of that stop her. When her opponent jumped down in front of her, her body stiffened and straightened, a completely different person.

"The tenth battle is next," Hayate said, looking between the two opponents. "Akira Uchiha and Kai Manzo... Begin!"

* * *

"Akira Uchiha and Kai Manzo... Begin!"

Neither of them moved, making the proctor roll his eyes. Instead, Akira and Kai stared each other down until Kai's eyes began roaming Akira's figure. She saw him linger on the black mark that was peeking from her collar, then on her burnt arms. She didn't have swords, she couldn't use jutsu and every movement she was going to make was going to be more painful than the previous. Kai on the other hand, being a long distance fighter, barely had a scratch on him. His hair was still clean and white, his pale skin and golden eyes weren't tired, and he had all of his weapons. Akira didn't think he'd used up that much chakra either, not that it mattered since she couldn't use hers at all.

"You sure you can still fight, kid?" Kai teased, smirking a little.  
"Of course I can. I wouldn't be here if I couldn't - I wouldn't waste my time," Akira replied, voice even and almost stern.  
"With arms like that it's gonna hurt, you know."  
"A little pain never killed anyone, Kai."  
"But you don't even have a sword to fight with."

Akira narrowed her eyes at Kai and then looked at the proctor who was still standing beside him. When her eyes landed on him, he seemed to come out of a daze.

"Can I help you?" he said, confused.  
"May I borrow a sword from you?" Akira asked, glancing to the pair of Katana he had strapped to his back.  
"Uh..."  
"Only if it's permitted, you are okay with it and they're able to conduct lightning without shattering."

Hayate stared at Akira for a few moments before slowly reaching to his back to grab one of his Katana and tossing it to Akira. The moment she caught it she began spinning and twirling it in her hand, getting a feel for the foreign blade. The second she was comfortable with it, she got into position, pointing the Katana forward and bringing her fingers to her mouth in half a ram seal. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind, which was signal for Kai to begin his attacks. Akira heard Kai run towards her, which meant he was starting out easy, testing how far she'd go in her condition.

When she opened her midnight blue eyes, Kai was mere feet from her, shuriken in both hands. He threw them at her, two at a time, and she knocked every single one of them out of the way with the Hayate's Katana. Kai wasted no time in bringing out kunai, lunging at Akira with incredible speed and accuracy. She bobbed and weaved her way around Kai's attacks, until she found an opening in his attacks. Then she jabbed the Katana forward, but of course, Kai expected a move like that and jumped away just in time to dodge it. The second he jumped back, Akira sprung forward, and slashed down at Kai with the one Katana. Her arm hurt beyond belief and Kai noticed her face scrunch up in pain as he took out his paper fans to knock her back. He waved the small fans in front of him, but like Temari, he produced such a big gust of wind that Akira was sent flying backwards. She landed on her feet and skidded backwards, but when she came to a halt she fell to her knees, a sharp pain knocking her down.

It was the curse mark again, and even when she wasn't using her chakra, it kept reminding Akira that it was still there. The pain managed to distract Akira, and she nearly got hit by blades of wind that Kai sent her way. She rolled out of the way, Katana in hand and arms painfully scraping against the stone floor. When she stood back up, she used the Katana to deflect more shuriken, at which point Kai noticed that her arms were bleeding. Drops of blood were falling to the ground, slowly and one at a time, all the while Akira breathed heavily, in pain and exhausted. Kai made the mistake of stopping to stare at her for a moment, during which time, Akira had the time to calm herself down and think. Calmly and quietly, she took a familiar Tai Chi stance and planted Hayate's Katana into the ground. Her bleeding arms were held up in front of her and then all the tension was released from her body once she breathed out. Her mind was blank and at peace, she couldn't hear anything but the sound of her own ragged breathing. Akira was completely aware of her surroundings even with her eyes closed. Another wave of pain burned throughout her body, but she didn't let it break her concentration. Not even when it got more and more intense.

She sensed Kai moved rapidly towards her, but she remained calm, softly dodging all the punches and kunai swipes that he was attempting to land on her. Akira swayed, moving around Kai in circular motions, her movements fluid like water and as light as air. Everyone watched as Akira nearly danced around Kai, eyes closed and seemingly quite peaceful. However, many things had begun to run through her mind. With the fluidity of her movements came the memory of the Sound Village Jōnin telling her to loosen up a little bit more. And with every duck and sway that Akira did came the pain related to the curse mark Orochimaru gave her.

The fight went on like this until Akira gracefully jumped off the ground and flipped, her hand grasping and pulling up the Katana as she landed. She attacked Kai from behind, whipping the Katana at him and slicing through his thin armour. Keeping her feet moving in a circular manner, Akira managed to remain behind Kai and sent a small burst of chakra directly into his back with a small hit. Kai went flying through the air as if he'd taken a major blow, landing in the wall on the other side of the arena. With that small burst of chakra came excruciating pain, but Akira was determined to ignore it and so she did, sprinting towards Kai with speed that rivaled her brother's. Using soft yet precise hits, Akira hit nearly every pressure point in Kai's body. The ones that he could dodge he did, but the ones that landed disabled his right arm and left shoulder.

Kai retaliated by using his usable hand to send waves of slicing air towards Akira, but she dodged them all, only getting a minor cut on her face from one of them. All the gusts of air landed on the opposite wall with loud crashes, sending dust and stone flying everywhere again. Kai moved before Akira could slice down with Hayate's Katana again. He rain a rain of shuriken and kunai at her but she jumped up, straight at them, weaving her way through the weapons to reach Kai. When she did, she held out her palm and, with a slightly bigger release of chakra, she sent a final blow to Kai, with actual force this time. Her fist hit him straight in the head and he went flying backwards, landing roughly onto the stone floor. He skidded, ripping up the ground and sending shards of rock and dust into the viewing areas.

Akira landed gracefully on the ground and reopened her midnight blue eyes. The arena was in worse condition that it was before the battle and Akira could barely see Kai through the cloud of dust still settling. She was breathing hard, her entire body heaving, and her vision was starting to get blurry. The pain in her body was slowly shutting down her systems and, when Hayate called the end of the match, signaling her win, Akira collapsed, everything turning into darkness.

The sun began to sink lower in the sky, the light of day slowly draining away, giving way to the velvety dark of night. Akira awoke peacefully, but not without difficulty, her entire body aching and burning every inch she sat up further. Her midnight blue eyes were puffy and red, and painfully glanced around, taking in the details of her unfamiliar surroundings. She was sitting in bed but it wasn't her own - it was a hospital bed. The room was incredibly bare, but to her left, on the window sill, sat a few items that didn't fit in with the bland decor. There was There was a daffodil in a small glass vase, and Akira immediately thought of Sakura. Beside it, in a slightly large vase was a small bouquet of cherry blossom branches, jasmine flowers and stalks of lavender. Akira smiled and instantly was reminded of Kai. She wasn't even surprised to see a small pile of Shōjo mangas piled underneath the bouquet.

With great difficulty, Akira stood up from the bed, the hiked up hospital gown falling down to her battered knees. She treaded over to the window sill, each step more painful than the last, and reached out to the photograph between the two vases. It was a picture of herself and Shikamaru that Kai had teken while neither of them were looking, instead gazing at each other and laughing. Akira smiled, she remembered that this picture was from Shikamaru's room; it had been there ever since Shikamaru didn't want anyone seeing him, even a picture of himself, smiling. Akira flipped it over.

" _Don't die or anything, that'd be a real drag_ ," Akira read off the back, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

Akira put the photo back in its place and ran her fingers over the parcel beside it, wiping off all the ramen coupons that were no doubt from Naruto. It was wrapped rather poorly so she knew that it was from Kiba - he wasn't the most gentle person, or the type to patiently wrap a gift. She undid the wrapping and opened the box, then read the note that was inside:

" _I figured you can't use the sword the Proctor threw at you during the during the preliminaries ever again, so I found these for you. You're gonna have to like them; I worked hard to get a good deal on them,_ " Akira read. And at the bottom of the note, scribbled down haphazardly, as if an afterthought or forced upon him by someone, it said: " _Oh, and don't you dare die or get yourself in a situation that could lead to your death ever again. And well, I guess, get well soon, Kira._ "

Akira had completely forgotten that her tachi laid somewhere in the depths of the Forest of Death, and that the Proctor, Hayate Gekko, had thrown her one of his own Katana to win her round of preliminaries. She removed an excess of paper from inside the box to reveal a brand new set of retractible Katana, lighter and longer than her previous weapons. Ignoring the searing pain in her entire body, Akira glided across the room with her blades, practising her swings and getting a feel for the longer and lighter weapons. Her movements were in no way acceptable of a ninja, even less an Uchiha, but she was alone and in quite a bit of pain - she didn't care. Akira smiled and swung down in front of herself but she stopped rather abruptly when the blade was just above a strange gourd. It was as long as her forearm and twice as wide, painted charcoal grey and detailed in the same teal as her happi. There was a sturdy black ribbon beside it.

She placed the Katana on the hospital bed and picked up the gourd, finding that it had some weight to it as well as a sloshing inside. Intrigued, Akira removed the cork and peered inside it. Her eyes widened and she gasped, nearly dropping the water-filled gourd. Frantic, Akira set it down and ran to the simple wardrobe at the other end of the room and changed into her clothes. She strapped of her kunai holster to her right leg, found that her old tachi holders were too small and tied her Katana to her waist with the many fabric belts she had, finishing it off with her Leaf bandanna. She Grabbed the gourd and strapped it to her back before sliding the window open and creeping out, disappearing into the night.

The lingering light was obliterated by the fallen night. The once salmon and purple sky had transformed into a vast expanse of jet black that engulfed the town as Akira ran towards training ground number three. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness above Akira's head. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night.

The lake that faced the memorial stone glistened, mirroring the dazzling assemblage of glittering stars. The faint breeze brushed away Akira's hair as she stood in front of the memorial stone, mind blank, before heading to the lake's edge and sitting down calmly, waiting. The Wind rippled the still surface of the water, and shattered the girl's reflection.

Akira's mind was much like the lake she was watching, calm on the surface with so many deep under-currents, all of them with their own purpose. So many things going through her head, most of them incoherent and frazzled, a little terrified. Akira didn't even know if this was a good idea idea; to seek aid or consult from a complete stranger that may or may not wish her harm wasn't very wise. Kakashi-sensei was great, honestly the best she could ask for, but he was bound by the laws of Konohagakure. There was a limit to what she could do with her special gift, a limit to what he'd be allowed to teach her. Akira's gaze hardened and her body stiffened. That was all this stranger was going to be: a way to facilitate her training with water, and only water. She wasn't going to put Kakashi-sensei at risk by asking him to teach her more than he'd be allowed, especially if she intended to use the power of the curse mark Orochimaru gave her. Yes, it was dangerous, but if she wanted to master the mark, control it like Sasuke did during the preliminaries, then she had to test it out. It was also more than likely that the Sound Village Jōnin was going to make her use its power, or at least suggest it. Akira was sure that he, just like Kakashi-sensei, would know about the mark without her even mentioning it. And because he seemed so untrustworthy, she knew that he'd want to dabble with the curse mark's power.

Akira waited by the water's edge for what seemed like hours, lost in thought, debating whether she should leave and forget this idea entirely and forget that the Sound Village ninja ever existed. However it was too late for that now. Akira didn't hear any footsteps or any breathing, but she felt an intimidating presence behind her, and it was a familiar one at that. Akira didn't turn towards him and he didn't bother sitting beside her like Kakashi-sensei would do. The Jōnin simply stood next to her and stared out at the lake as well. Neither of them spoke, waiting for the other to speak first, a silent battle for power.

Eventually, Akira stood, pain still burning through ever fiber of her being, and glanced up at the man beside her. Once again, she was amazed by how much he looked like he belonged in this darkness. His black hair, slightly swaying from the breeze, was barely visible on the near-black surroundings, but his pale face almost gleamed in the starlight. He didn't seem natural.

"I would admire as well, but you look as if you've been to hell and back," he said, words Rolling softly off his lips, like a silver-tongue. "You should be resting."

Akira chuckled and looked back at the water. It was gleaming almost as much as he was.

"I don't want to make any kind of excuse here," Akira began, turning towards him and gazing steadily at the man. "I find that this is more important. I can rest after."  
"Go on."  
"I need your help. No, I _want_ your help. I have to control the mark. I need to be able to use it without it affecting me."  
"The mark?"  
"Don't play dumb, I know you're aware of it. If you weren't I'd be disappointed," Akira snapped. "I need to do more than Sasuke... I need to do more than just make it recede."

The Jōnin's eyes were as immobile as the rest of his face, as if a statement like that was impossible to absorb any faster. He was immobile for maybe three whole seconds before the corners of his mouth became softer and his eyes quit staring. He extended a hand towards her and moved a lock of hair away from her neck where the mark was. He ran a finger over it. Akira winced - it stung.

"Your skin is still sensitive from the Evil Sealing jutsu your sensei placed upon the curse mark," the man offered as explanation.  
"If I use the mark with the seal on is that bad?" Akira asked, concerned.  
"The seal will remove itself from the mark if you use it, however it will come with worse pain than you've been feeling. The best option is to remove it now."  
"Will it show that I've removed it?"  
"Keep wearing that high collared shirt of yours and it'll all be invisible." The man glanced at her neck then back at her face. "May I?"

Akira turned her head and undid the first two buttons of her shirt, exposing her neck and a bit of her collarbone. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Jōnin's fingertips glow with intense purple chakra and then place themselves on the mark. His fingers were cold, but the chilly feeling was soon replaced by intense heat and a faint burning sensation, as if something was melting away. The second the man's hands left her skin, the familiar jolt of pain caused by the curse mark returned and Akira winced.

"Good. Now we can begin," the Jōnin said. "Are you ready?"  
"As I'll ever be."


	31. Signed and Sealed in Blood

Akira only returned to the hospital in the early morning, after having trained all night alongside the mysterious and still unnamed Sound Village Jōnin. The morning air was cool, borderline humid, a little bit of dew making the leaves and blades of grass gleam in the pale morning light. Every single inch of her body was numb, dull, but it felt like she was lit on fire when she moved. Her neck and upper-back was the place that hurt the most. Since it was still the beginning of her training, there was no way that she could control the Curse Mark or the pain that it caused her. The pain throbbed constantly, but it seemed a little subdued now, unless she was in so much pain that Akira was becoming delusional.

Akira walked through the front door of the hospital without much shame, figuring that the nurses had noticed her absence during the night when the night shift doctors were doing their rounds. As expected, upon entering the building, two or three nurses shuffled towards her, checking Akira on all sides. The young ninja didn't bother to push them away or help them in any way, she just kept walking, half conscious, towards her hospital room until she collapsed onto it, falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

She awoke sometime during the day, hearing the sound of retreating footsteps. They stopped when Akira began shifting in her bed, and they got louder signaling whoever was leaving was coming back. The girl turned onto her back and stretched, wincing a little bit because, of course, the pain from the Curse Mark had not died down and opened her deep blue eyes. Her surroundings were blurry at first, unable to make out anything, but they slowly focused and allowed her to see her brother standing beside her bed. She smiled weakly at him.

"You shouldn't be out of bed," Akira told Sasuke.

"You shouldn't have gone out last night," Sasuke retorted, crossing his arms.

"No injury is going to prevent me from training. And if you're here, I'm assuming you're going out as well?"

"Yeah."

"Going to find Kakashi-sensei?"

"It's not going to be too hard, I'm sure he wants me to find him," Sasuke replied.

"I'll join you later if I can. Right now, I'll be reprimanded if I leave again," Akira chuckled.

"All right. Rest now, you need it."

Akira nodded a little and watched as her brother left her room. The second he was gone, Akira swung her legs over the edge of her bed and got dressed, attaching her new Katana to her belts. She was halfway out the window once more when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Akira turned her head and blinked a few times.

"Heading out again, are you?" Kiba asked, unimpressed, as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"You saw nothing," Akira said a little stern.

"The nurses are gonna freak out again if you leave."

"I don't exactly care, Kiba. I have to train for the third part of the exam in less than a month. Besides, I'm only going out to make myself some new holsters for my favourite gift."

Kiba chuckled and smirked.

"Figured you'd like 'em. You're also lucky I spotted the retractable ones, the guy didn't put them in an obvious display."

"Proud of yourself, are you?"

"Damn right, I am. Though, I have to give Shikamaru some credit to put that picture of himself on display," Kiba laughed.

"I'm surprised he even kept it," Akira admitted, sitting on the window sill and picking up said picture to look at it. "He hates pictures of himself, even more ones where he's smiling."

"He might be a grumpy idiot, but you're his closest friend. It's only normal that he'd want to keep a picture of the both of you. I mean, I have a whole bunch of pictures of us at home."

"I keep telling you to burn those, I look ridiculous," Akira groaned. "You keep taking pictures of us when I'm not paying attention. Kai doesn't help either, stalks us and jumps out of nowhere."

"Those are the best pictures. Unplanned, making no sense - pictures are meant to capture a moment, a real one, not a moment chosen in time because it's perfect."

"Wow, Kiba, who knew you were such a poet," Akira laughed, setting the picture down.

"Shut up, I'm just saying that I'm not burning those damn pictures 'cause I like them," Kiba growled.

"Fair enough. So... can I go, now?"

"Yeah," Kiba sighed. "It's not like I can keep you here. You're too stubborn for that."

"Indeed I am."

Akira winked and smiled at Kiba before swinging her legs out the window and jumping down onto a lower balcony. The person inside the room screeched in surprise a little and Akira jumped down story after story until she reached the ground. She then stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked down the streets of Konoha, heading towards a materials shop that could be useful in making her new Katana holsters. Walking around, she found that the pain, other than the one caused by the Curse Mark had gone. Akira therefore had no intention of returning to the hospital. As she walked, observing the town, her Katana rubbed against her sides and she found it irritating, but the weight of the gourd on her back didn't bother her at all. People stared at her as she walked passed spots she used to go to often, recognizing her and wondering why she was out and about when she should be training for next month's exam. Akira pain them no attention. When she arrived at the materials shop, she greeted the store owner and lost herself in the isles of fabrics, metals and other various items that many ninja used to build their armour or equipment. She bought a large piece of leather, some tough fabric, metal pins and tough thread, then made her way out into the forest to craft in peace.

Akira sat herself beside a small stream in the middle of the woods off of training ground three. The bright midday sun shone down onto the glade making all the green hues of the forest more vibrant than before. The water coming down from the waterfall and into a small pool was a brilliant aqua colour, almost unnatural, and gleamed in the sun's rays. Men, women and children alike came to swim in the pool, but as the after noon went on, and Akira was making good progress in the making of her new holsters, only a small group of three women remained in the pool, happily splashing each other with the cool water. Akira looked up and smiled at the women, peacefully. She sighed, thinking how much she'd pay to be as blissful at they were, how much she would pay to remove all her worries and stress.

Akira's ears perked up and she threw a handful of kunai into the bushes; pain throbbed all over and she winced, nearly bending over, but she managed to ignore it and ran off into the bushes, leaving her crafting equipment were she was sitting. Passed the bushes, she was met with Naruto, freaking out, and an older man, who was also freaking out. She glared at the both of them, because they'd most likely been peeking at the women, but upon closer inspection, Akira recognized the older man. Her demeanor changed instantly; she went from being a menacing aura of anger to her usual self, a respectful young woman with a cold expression. Her dark blue eyes were cold, but they held a certain admiration, and as the older man stood up, noticing her change in mood, her posture straightened out of respect for him.

"Master Jiraya, my apologies. I should have verified who it was before I threw my kunai," Akira said in her calmest tone of voice. Naruto was incredibly surprised by her attitude, gaping at her.

"Master Jiraya!? This pervy sage isn't a Master!" Naruto yelled. Akira looked at him, a dangerous look in her eyes.

"If you are going to insult a Sannin in front of me, do it when I can't take you out in a split second, Naruto."

"Testy, testy," Jiraya said, contemplating Akira. "Just like your brother, I see. You look like him too."

Akira's head snapped towards Jiraya, her gaze cold, no longer respectful. No one in their right mind mentioned Itachi without getting the cold shoulder for a while. The Sannin didn't budge however, unphased by Akira's unrelenting glare.

"You must be Akira Uchiha. I've heard about you. Best in your class, save your brother Sasuke."

"We're tied."

"Of course."

"May I ask why one of the Legendary Three is in Konoha?" Akira asked politely, though her gaze was still ice cold.

"He's supposed to be training me," Naruto complained, crossing his arms. "But he keeps peeping on girls and blames it on research for a book." Akira raised an eyebrow at Naruto, then looked back at Jiraya. "It's true, it's true!"

"Okay, okay! I'll show you a technique then, if you're gonna be that way," Jiraya said casually, almost annoyed.

"Do you really mean that!?"

Jiraya nodded, seemingly despite himself, and asked Akira and Naruto to sit down by the water with him as he spoke.

"Naruto, do you remember what I told you yesterday about the two types of Chakra?"

"Huh? Yesterday's talk?"

"You know, what you said about the blue and red Chakra or something," Jiraya added.

Akira frowned, thinking. Blue and red Chakra wasn't a concept to be taught. The colour of your Chakra is independent of it's power, it is determined naturally at birth. Unless... unless Naruto was talking of his own blue Chakra and the Nine-Tailed Fox's intense red Chakra?

"Oh, right! Well, what about it?"

"You said that when a great power came out, you felt the red Chakra," Jiraya said, glancing occasionally at Akira's reactions. "Try building up that red Chakra now."

Akira's head snapped up towards Jiraya, the sudden movement causing excruciating pain coming from the Curse Mark. She tried not to show it, but Akira was sure that the Sannin had noticed the sudden rush of pain coming from the Uchiha.

"Master Jiraya, are you sure that's a good idea?" Akira said, concerned.

"Of course I am!" he said happily, almost aloof. The Uchiha gave him a concerned look, which he ignored.

"Well, I guess I can give it a try," Naruto said, putting his hands together to begin focusing his Chakra. Everyone waited a moment, but Akira didn't feel anything different. "Hm, it's not right. It's the same Chakra as always."

"Jeez, you have no talent."

"Don't be talking all high and mighty! In the first place, I really don't understand those two types of Chakra myself!"

"Just keep trying," Jiraya said, suddenly serious and nearly glaring at Naruto.

Akira stared at Naruto as he attempted to draw out the Chakra belonging to the Nine-Tailed Fox. She sighed. How could Naruto draw out something he didn't understand himself. Did he not know that the red Chakra belonged to the Tailed Beast that was inside him? Akira looked at Jiraya; he seemed to be deep in thought. Was he thinking of ways to draw out the Beast's power?

"It's no use," Naruto said after a while. "Only the usual Chakra is coming out. Say, Pervy Sage, what the heck does the red Chakra and the technique you're going to teach me have to do with each other?"

"Listen, boy. For the technique I'm about to teach you, the Chakra you've had until now is not nearly enough. Therefore, you'll have to be able to pull out and use the other Chakra that has been dormant within you at any time you need."

"But how do you know I have that much Chakra?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, that's just what I wanted to hear!" Jiraya said, suddenly excited. "Actually, it's because I'm a Sage."

Akira rose an eyebrow at him and Naruto sent him a deadpan look. Akira knew about the Nine-Tailed Fox as well, and it had nothing to do with being a sage. Akira sighed. This guy was as bad as Naruto - and he was a Sannin!

"Jeez... that's no answer," Naruto complained.

"For once, I agree with Naruto," Akira said simply.

"Anyway, the special kind of Chakra only you have will become your greatest weapon," Jiraya said, ignoring the two young ninja.

"Greatest weapon?" Naruto questioned, tilting his head.

"Not using that is like wasting treasure. There's no need to forcebly do the same training as everyone else. Everyone has was they're good at and what they're poor at. You have your own style."

"That's an understatement," Akira muttered under her breath.

"Your training until now, maintaining and releasing a set amount of Chakra, was in other words, training to control the suppression of Chakra so that you wouldn't get exhausted," the Sannin continued. "Akira, for example, is quick on her feet and can use different tactics and tricks to get away or win a fight as well as raw power. But you, who only has a lot of stamina and no tactical ability, should be about power rather than a trick. You who has two types of Chakra and doesn't exhaust easily, should release the largest amount of Chakra you can and train to increase the amount of Chakra you are able to use. Then there are tons of techniques and jutsu you can use."

"Like what?" Naruto said, blinking stupidly.

"Like Summoning Jutsus... which I will show you now."

Akira looked up at Jiraya the second he mentioned the Summoning Technique. Her mind raced back to what had happened in the Forest of Death. She recalled all that she could, but mostly it was the giant snakes that jumped at her and the rest of her team. And yet, although they were terrifying in appearance and terribly powerful, they were also graceful, quick and cunning creatures, qualities that reminded Akira of herself. For half a second, her brain wondered if the mysterious Sound Village ninja could summon snakes and if he'd teach her how to do it, even though it was nowhere near her fighting style; she doubted Kakashi-sensei would teach her how to summon his own pack of Ninken for that reason.

"Summoning?" Naruto asked, confused.

"You don't even know what a Summoning Jutsu is?" Akira groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I thought we had covered this."

"Care to explain it, Akira?" Jiraya asked.

The young girl nodded and spoke:

"It's a type of spatio-temporal technique where you sign a contract in blood with all kinds of living creatures and summon them whenever you like using ninjutsu."

"Oh! That sounds awesome. Pervy Sage, teach me real quick!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Before that, I'll have to ask Akira to leave us," Jiraya said seriously, glancing over to the Uchiha.

And while Naruto complained about kicking out someone who could help him, Akira simply stood with a graceful calm and bowed to the Sannin, fully aware that it was not her place to watch Naruto's training, since technically he was an opponent for the third part of the Chūnin exams. If she was going to see anything of Naruto's training, it would be the result of it, whether it be as a spectator or as an opponent.

Akira wandered back towards the waterfall and its pool of crystal clear water which was deserted, no trace of life to be seen. The sun had begun to set and cast a warm glow over the glade. Akira finished her holsters and snugly tied them to her forearms, slipping in her Katana and ignoring the yelling and booming noises coming from the area in which Master Jiraya and Naruto were still training. Soon, the inky darkness of night had arrived and the cool air caressed the girl's pale skin. She put on her happi, which she had discarded hours earlier under the heat of the unforgiving sun. After stuffing all her remaining equipment and materials into one of her pouches, Akira made her way back towards training ground number three where she was sure to find someone waiting for her. She expected that the mysterious Jōnin was going to be waiting for her, lurking somewhere in the shadows, and not Kakashi, for the simple fact that Sasuke was probably still demanding his presence for training even at this late hour.

"Had fun with Jiraya, did we?" a familiar voice came from the shadows.

"I wouldn't qualify schooling Naruto as fun," Akira said. "Master Jiraya is teaching him his legendary Summoning Technique. Wonder what Jiraya summons..."

"Toads. Horrid creatures, if I'm being honest. Although, most summoning creatures are horrid in their own way," the Sound Village Jōnin said as he slowly slunk out of the cover of the dark trees. The same ethereal glow from the moonlight shone upon his face and Akira was once again captivated by his appearance. "It isn't your style, I'll admit... but Summoning could be useful to you when you're in dire need."

Akira unconsciously perked up. The Jōnin chuckled softly and looked at her in the eyes, pale brown against midnight blue.

"Ah... interested, I see? Akira, my dear, your thirst for knowledge never ceases to amaze me."

The man smiled slyly and turned away, a signal for Akira to follow his inaudible footsteps and allow herself to be lured away into the night by a near-stranger whom she didn't trust in the slightest. Soon they were creeping through the Forest of Death, and Akira was trying very hard not to panic because of the memories she could feel trying to resurface. The Jōnin lead Akira into a clearing that was somehow familiar to her. She could hear all the creatures crawling in the trees, crawling in the earth. Other than that, it was dead silent, eerie.

"Uncomfortable?" the Jōnin asked, to which Akira nodded softly. "Good. It'll be harder for you to focus under these conditions, therefore allowing you a greater ease in performing a Summoning under regular and anxiety inducing situations. You'll be prepared."

"I think you're just a sadist," Akira muttered under breath. She swore she saw the man smirk a little.

"I'm not going to ask whether you know how this works, I'm going to assume that you do."

The Jōnin raised his sleeve and bit the thumb on the other hand, drawing a line of his own blood on his forearm. After a few hand signs, he disappeared in a puff of smoke, only to reappear standing on the head of a large grey serpent, it's fangs bared. Something, somewhere inside her, like a bell, should have rung, awoken, but Akira was thoroughly engulfed in her cool fascination that she didn't notice anything was amiss. Out of the snake's mouth came a large, deep violet scroll which Akira grasped and unbound. A few names and fingerprints were written and stamped down in blood, and many other slots were empty.

"The Summoning Contract of Snakes is a noble one, Manda being a very prideful creature. I've taken it over from a few past generations worthy of it. If you sign your name in blood and add your fingerprints from the hand you wish to summon from, you will, from this point on, be able to summon a snake that matches the power to used to summon it. I doubt you'll be able to summon Manda himself, he's capricious."

Akira didn't hesitate, the thirst for knowledge was too great. She pulled out her Katana from his holster a little and sliced her thumb on it, gliding the blood on the scroll to create the japanese characters for her name. Akira then dabbed all her other fingers with the scarlet liquid and pressed her fingertips underneath her name, leaving an imprint. She then rolled up and bound the scroll once again, presenting it back to the grey serpent with a low bow of respect.

"Snake, Tiger, Dog, Hare, Dragon," the Jōnin said simply and Akira stood up from her bow.

The girl nodded firmly and concentrated her chakra in her right hand, performing hand signs as she went.

"Mi, Tora, Inu, U, Tatsu," Akira said quietly. "Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!"


	32. Hatred

A pain shot throughout Akira's body, but the pain wasn't sharp like a needle point or a knife, it burned around her insides better than boiling water. Everything felt scolded and, moving or not, Akira was in more pain than she could have ever imagined was possible. Suddenly, there was a terrible rumble from deep in the belly of the earth that struck fear into every living beast. Then the earth began to move as if it were a wave on the sea. Akira tried to keep her footing as she began rising in the air at a constant speed, a little wobbly. When all movement had stopped, the young ninja looked down only to see a large white snake underneath her feet, hissing with its fangs bared. The girl couldn't help but smile, more like smirk, at the reptile below her and she looked over at the unnamed Jōnin who was smirking, almost proudly.

"I'm impressed," the Jōnin said, approaching the large white serpent. "You've managed to summon Shiro, the Great White Serpent, second to Manda himself."

Just then, Akira lost her footing as another wave of pain from the curse mark hit her quite hard. She slipped and fell off the giant snake's head, rapidly falling down to the earth with no indication of anyone going to help her. However, just before she hit the ground, something grabbed her. Akira opened her eyes and saw that she was trapped within the serpent's coiled body, it's verdant eyes and slit-pupils staring directly at her.

"You are the one who summoned me -" a voice said in Akira's head, and she assumed it belonged to Shiro, "a pathetic human that cannot even stand on her own?"

Akira said nothing and simply stared back at the serpent who could crush her like an insect at any given moment. The snake stared at her more intensely, if that was possible. The air around them was fraught with tension, a battle of who would back down first, who was the most stubborn and proud: the Uchiha or the great serpents of Manda.

"You do not speak?" Shiro said, breaking the silence.

"Not unless spoken to with respect," Akira replied, face emotionless. The snake squeezed her tighter, both the pain from the Curse Mark and the coiled body of the reptile shooting throughout her body, but she didn't let it affect the expression on her face. "If you do not find me worthy, Great White Serpent, let us decide with a battle whether you are right or wrong."

"You do not seem to be in the best of conditions."

"Are you worried that you cannot defeat me in my weakened state?"

Shiro hissed loudly and coiled himself, letting Akira drop down to the ground. She landed surprisingly gracefully despite her pain, and stood up straight. The serpent bared his fangs at her and Akira bowed respectfully just before they both launched themselves at each other. Akira darted swiftly towards the white snake, eyes closed and listening to her surroundings. She concentrated Chakra in her feet and took up speed, dodging Shiro's poisoned fangs as they clamped down on the tree where she had just been. While in the air, Akira turned around and reached into one of her pouches and pulled out a metal ball which she threw at Shiro. Midair, the ball exploded and landed on the snake's head in the form of a net which wrapped around the tree as well. Akira threw shuriken at the edges of the net so that it wouldn't come loose. Shiro struggled to break free and, just before Akira landed on a nearby tree, the snake ripped away from the tree and bit his way through the net. Akira clicked her tongue in annoyance, opened her eyes and glanced at her arms; the scars from her previous use of Inazuma were still clearly visible on the parts of her skin that the holsters didn't hide. She groaned softly, thinking that it was a bad idea, but still performed a few hand signs, sparks suddenly reaching her fingertips. Akira reached into her holsters, pulling out short knives. Then she flicked them and the knives extended into polished Katana, gleaming the moonlight, which became electrified with the classic yellow lightning of her own jutsu.

Shiro charged at her, hissing violently, and tried to bite Akira numerous times, succeeding in chomping down on both her arms, swords in his mouth. Each fang pierced each of Akira's arms and, with a loud cry of pain to accompany, Akira shouted 'Inazuma' and blasted the snake's mouth with an extreme amount of electricity. The current made the snake release Akira's arms and fall to the ground, dazed. Ignoring the holes in her arms and the blood pouring out, Akira jumped down in front of the snake's head and pointed one of her Katana at its neck, ready to decapitate, and the other had planted the sword into the ground, now surrounded by a glove-like mass of swirling water.

"Even in a weakened state you are a worthy opponent," Shiro said calmly, raising his head at Akira's level. "What is your name?"

"I am Akira Uchiha."

"Akira-sama, I am at your disposal whenever I am needed."

Akira bowed respectfully at the giant snake and he bowed too before disappearing in a puff of smoke, back to wherever he had been summoned from. The girl returned the water around her left hand to the gourd on her back and released the electricity from her blades before folding them up again and placing them back into their holsters.

Akira turned towards the Sound Village Jōnin with a large smile on her face, elation burying any sort of pain she was feeling from either the Curse Mark or the bleeding holes in both her arms. She jumped across a few giant tree roots and low branches, landing only a few feet away from the Jōnin who was looking at her with a wry smile.

"Please tell me you saw all that! Shiro accepted me, he even called me 'sama'," Akira said happily.

"Now you will be able to summon Shiro at any given moment," the Jōnin said. He glanced at the girl's arms. "Do you feel any pain?"

"No, and even if I did, a little pain is worth it to achieve knowledge and success."

"Come."

Akira moved closer to the Sound ninja until she was mere inches from him. He took her hands and removed her holsters, then placed his pale hands over the holes Shiro had created during their battle. There was a soft burning sensation underneath his hands and a small amount of smoke rose from the same spot. Moments later the bite marks on Akira's arms were gone, replaced by fresh pink scars in the shape of Shiro's fangs, which joined the burn scars that already littered her skin. Akira rose an eyebrow: healing with a jutsu usually left no marks.

"Keep your scars," the Jōnin said. "They're a testament to what you have been through and what you can endure."

"Thank you, Sens-"

The Jōnin held up a hand.

"The proper way," he added.

"Thank you, Maru-sama."

* * *

The sound of sand falling into the bottom half of an hourglass and the sliding of Go stones across a board were the only audible sounds in the room save for Naruto's light snoring. Akira was losing at another game of Go against Shikamaru as they watched over Naruto who had been in the hospital for three days, or ever since the training he'd had with Jiraya. Akira was wearing her usual tai-chi training outfit, which meant that her arms were bare and all her scars were visible, scars which Shikamaru couldn't help but look at.

"Losing at Go again isn't enough to distract me from the fact you keep staring at my arms, Shikamaru," Akira said, moving a black stone on the board in front of her.

"Medical-nin could remove the scars, you know," Shikamaru said as he captured three of Akira's stones.

"My scars are a testament to what I have been through and what I can endure."

"Who're you quoting?"

"Who said I was quoting?" Akira defended, frowning at their game of Go as she realized she'd lost once again.

"The tone of your voice," Shikamaru replied, clearing the board for another game. "You're like Naruto - known for pep talks and passionate and heartfelt speeches, not broody realities. That's my thing."

"I was quoting a friend."

"Well, your friend's got issues."

"Guess that means you do too."

Shikamaru scoffed quietly as Akira turned to look at Naruto, still sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling steadily. The last time he'd been out so long, Naruto had fought Haku and Zabuza. She couldn't imagine what Jiraya could have put him through to cause this amount of slumber. The only thing Akira could think of was the Nine-Tailed Fox, but she didn't recall feeling the same energy she did when the Fox was unleashed on Haku after Sasuke nearly died.

Akira's entire body suddenly perked up and the sound of the sand falling into the second half of the hourglass stopped. A vile feeling was in the air, but she wasn't sure why she felt this way. The Uchiha gathered up Chakra in her right hand and closed her eyes. pressing her palm to the ground. Her Chakra flowed throughout the entire building. She gasped and retracted her hand.

"Akira?" Shikamaru asked, concerned.

"Stay with Naruto. I'll be right back. I just want to check something out," Akira said quickly.

She was out the door and down the hallway in mere seconds, heading directly towards the direction in which the vile feeling only got worse. The hospital was or seemed empty, devoid of any patients or personnel of any kind. All there was, was chaos in the air, getting stronger and stronger as Akira made her way through the seemingly maze-like hallways of the hospital. She almost turned back when she reached Rock Lee's room, the source of the evil aura overwhelming her senses. But she kicked herself and calmly stepped into the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Gaara was there, shaking and growling with anger, like a rabid animal. He was standing over Lee's bed, tendrils of sand extending from him towards the unconscious boy, ready to crush him in another coffin of sand.

"Gaara... don't."

Suddenly, a tendril of sand shot at Akira, but she defended herself with a calm wave of her hand, shielding herself with a small wall of Chakra-infused water. The sand fell to the ground in a muddy heap before Akira retracted the water and sent it back in her gourd, drying up the sand. Gaara's already widened eyes got even larger.

"I know you want to do this, and you could kill me right now to do it. I know that you're angry at him," Akira said, glancing at a sleeping Rock Lee. "I know that you're angry at Guy-sensei. I know you don't understand. But this isn't the way. You won't learn anything from this, Gaara."

The girl's gaze softened and she took a hesitant step towards Gaara. He growled at her and she paused, but started up again in mere seconds. She completely stopped when she was within arm's reach.

"Gaara... I know you're in there somewhere."

Gaara stopped growling and merely stared at her, eyes still crazed but no longer angry.

"I don't want to talk to the mindless beast someone put inside you without a seal, without a way to control it. I'm talking to Gaara, the boy from the Sand Village. Bottle the rage, Gaara. Don't let it take over. You're stronger than this, you're stronger than it."

"It'll kill you," Gaara said calmly. Akira's eyes widened a little. "No matter what I want, it'll kill. It'll kill because that what it wants."

"Who would do this to you?" Akira said, nearly gasping.

"I came from a poor upbringing, like your yellow-haired idiot said. I took the life of the woman some people might call my mother. So that I could become the strongest Shinobi... my father brought his most powerful jutsu upon me, and so I became possessed by a Sand Spirit."

"Your father... tried to use you as a weapon?"

"I was born a monster. It's the demon, he living wrath of an old monk from the Village Hidden in the Sand which was sealed inside a tea cauldron," Gaara said.

"You weren't born a monster. Someone put that demon in you. None of this is your fault. How could they do this to someone they love?" Akira asked, her voice getting more and more desperate.

"Love? Don't measure me by your standards. Family? Let me tell you what ties I have to my family... They're ties of hatred, of murderous intent. My family's just lumps of flesh. And my father... he's tried to assassinate me more times than I can count."

Akira gulped and said, "Those who are strong are apt to become feared... Your father was scared of you."

"Born through the jutsu, my mind was unstable. I guess the idiots in my village finally realized that I had emotional problems... For my father, the Kazekage, at the same time I was the ultimate weapon for the village, I was also a dangerous, fearsome presence. I was treated with respect simply because I was feared. Now, they just want me to disappear," Gaara said somberly, then looked directly at Akira. She felt like shrinking under his gaze but she remained strong, staring back at him, trying to match his intensity. "Which begs the question... what do I have left to live for? Why do I keep on living? When I asked myself that, I couldn't find the answer. But as long as you're alive, you need an answer... if you don't have one, then it's the same as being dead."

Akira stared at Gaara in horror. In a way, she knew how he felt, because she was sure that it was the same way Naruto felt, and Naruto had spoken about how he felt on numerous occasions. However, she also felt that way in some dimension. Her entire clan was removed from existence, her brother gone rogue; the only thing left living for was Sasuke and her dream. Akira at least something to live for, but she could imagine what it would be like to remove everything she had. She'd already had the vast majority of her life ripped away from her, it wasn't hard to imagine was it would be like if it was all gone. Akira understood the anger that Gaara felt. She understood how he felt like an outcast. And no matter how sad it was, she understood what it was like to not be loved, to not understand it. Her parents always preferred Itachi. And when Itachi left, the adoration fell upon Sasuke, never onto her. She'd only known Itachi's love... but then he left. Left her alone with parents that ignored her and a second brother who was too busy soaking up all the attention he so desperately craved. Akira didn't need it, she didn't crave it. She thought that she'd enjoy it if she had it, but it had never been an issue until now, until she saw what would have been her had she craved the attention Sasuke was getting. The look of fury, of rage and pure hatred... That's the look she could have had. But she didn't. And she watched Gaara walk away from her shock-stricken body, calm as ever, as every inch of her body tried to move...


	33. The Arena

Akira stared at the picture of herself, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei that was placed on her nightstand for at least a half hour when she woke up. She didn't move, simply opened her eyes and studied all of the faces on the photograph without moving, midnight blue eyes still cloudy from sleepiness. Akira didn't get up right away, thinking instead of yesterday's events with Gaara and herself. The way she couldn't even move in his presence bothered her. How could she have resisted Orochimaru's pure killing intent, but not this kind of rage? Maybe it was because this time she couldn't look away because she was already staring directly at him with pleading eyes. What kind of monster put a demon inside a young boy?

Akira heaved a sigh. Her midnight blue eyes looked out at the sky outside, still the same shade of blue as the eyes looking upon it. A few twinkling stars shone overhead, gleaming peacefully at Konoha, blissfully unaware that the final part of the Chūnin was today and that they were almost mocking Akira and the rest of the exam takers. Some time later, Akira swung her legs out of bed, her toes touching the cold wooden floor. She padded over to her wardrobe and slipped on her mesh shirt and then her sleeveless crop to over it. Akira then pulled on her loosely fitted pants that she used for tai-chi practice then stepped into her rikio tabi, draping a teal kimono over her shoulders.

Akira made breakfast until the sun came up, intending on feeding herself and her brother with the best she could make: steamed rice, pickled vegetables, miso soup, natto, tamagoyaki and yakizakana. The second Sasuke walked into the dining room, Akira poured her brother and herself some sencha tea. They both sat in silence, eating and drinking, neither of them looking at each other, though Akira could sense her brother glancing at her occasionally. Since Akira was the one who had made breakfast, Sasuke was the one to clean up after, and so the female Uchiha left the apartment building without a word.

Seemingly walking aimlessly through the streets, though she wasn't, Akira looked around the city, admiring the flowering plants and trees than shed petals over her as she walked, and gave a nod of acknowledgment to a shop owner who was at work even before the sun was awake. Eventually, Akira made it to the stadium where she was to fight a yet unknown opponent. There was no one there. Akira wandered the stands, running her hands along the benches on the way down to the edge which looked down on the battlefield. It was very sandy with a little bit of green patches of grass, trampled over by years and years worth of ninja. The walls were concrete, there were no trees: it was barren and open. Akira frowned. There wasn't much place to gain any high ground and there wasn't much place to make an attack from up high. She'd have to go the classical one on one way unless...

Akira's ears perked up at the rumbling sounds of footsteps. It was only then that she'd realized the sun had come up and it was already beating down on her and the rest of Konoha. With swift movements, Akira jumped from bench to bench until she reached the roof over the entrance to the arena. The town had gathered in the main street and the front gates had opened to welcome a few masterfully crafted and ornate carriages being pulled by cows that hadn't been mistreated an ounce in their entire lives. Akira jumped down to the entrance gates of the arena as people began filing in. She leaned against the doorway and watched everyone walk past, including her competitors and former competition such as Kiba, Kai and Hinata. Akira watched them pass, without drawing their attention, instead remained silent to listen to what everyone was saying about the matches. Most people were excited to see Neji fight, which was obvious since he was the number one rookie last year, but a lot of other people were anxious to see Sasuke and herself fight. Sasuke was the talk of the Uchiha, his abilities quite well known to the public, however Akira's skills were apparently less known. Many whispered about their curiosity. Akira smirked. People were talking about her... She'd give them a show then.

"You shouldn't be here," Akira said, suddenly feeling a presence behind her. She felt a cool hand drop on her shoulder and the pain from the Mark rose. "I can't be seen talking to you, Maru-sama."

"Oh, don't worry, my dear. No one will see me in your company," the Jōnin assured her, hiding in the shadows behind the girl. "And even if they did, I'd disappear like a mirage and they'd think they were seeing things."

"Fair enough. Still, what're you doing here prancing about in the daylight?"

"Can't a teacher wish success upon his student?"

"Not when you're the teacher, Maru-sama."

The Jōnin chuckled. Akira could feel his breath on her skin.

"Go now, Akira. They're calling for the competitors. Make your sensei proud."

"Pride should be my middle name."

With a cocky grin on her face, Akira stepped forward into the crowd filing into the arena, head held up high and gaze stern. Instead of following people into the stands, Akira went straight towards the opening that lead to the battlefield. Lights nearly blinded her as she stepped out, but her dark eyes easily adjusted to the harsh light of the arena. Hundreds, if not thousands of people, were all lined up in the stands and watching down at the line of competitors forming at the center of the battlefield; Temari, Kankuro, Gaara, Neji, Shino and Shikamaru were already there, only missing her own brother, Sasuke, which was odd since he always went to places early, and the always late Naruto.

"Where are Naruto and Sasuke?" Akira asked Shikamaru as she placed herself beside him.

"Late apparently," Shikamaru said boredly, almost annoyed. "Don't forget that Sound village guy, Dosu. He hasn't shown up yet, either."

"I can expect Naruto to be late, but Sasuke? My brother is more than punctual usually."

Seconds later, Naruto came sliding in on his stomach, leaving a large cloud of dust in his wake. Akira sighed, both annoyed and relieved; at least the kid had made it. Now that only left Sasuke. Shikamaru helped Naruto up and put him beside Akira who wasn't pleased to hear the talk of rampaging bulls being the cause of his tardiness.

"Naruto! Shut it and present yourself proudly to the crowd," she said in a hushed voice.

"Oh, right!" the boy replied, straightening himself. However, he turned back to look at Akira. "Why are you wearing a kimono to a fight? Isn't that going to be a pain to move in?"

"Naruto, if I'm wearing a kimono, there is a reason behind it. Do you think I'd do anything for no reason?"

"I think you just wanna look pretty for everyone."

Akira closed her eyes and angrily let out a long breath through her nose, trying not to punch Naruto into next year. She also looked up at the topmost area of the arena to spot the Hokage sitting in one of two seats set up for him and the Kazegake who arrived moments later alongside two bodyguards. Then the Hokage stood and addressed the champions and the crowd:

"Welcome all, and our deepest thanks for coming here to the Village Hidden in the Leaves for this year's Chūnin selections," the Hokage said, his voice echoing through the arena. "We have come to the final competition between the nine candidates who made it through the preliminaries. We ask that no one leave until all the matches have been completed. Now, everyone, enjoy."

Everyone cheered, except for the proctor standing before the eight ninja hoping to become Chūnin. He turned to them and pulled out a piece of paper from his breast pocket. It was the matchings for the final exams.

"We've withheld the matchings for the final round because of unexpected changes in the amount of people participating. Dosu Kinuta will not be participating in the final rounds, therefore there is an uneven number. The first battle will be between Neji Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki, for the simple reason that the crowd wants to see Neji fight first. Then we'll move on to a small elimination. Akira Uchiha will fight Shikamaru Nara, and the winner of that battle will go on to fight Temari. Then we'll move on to Shino Aburame and Kankuro. Lastly, we'll have Gaara and Sasuke Uchiha fight, leaving enough time for the latter to arrive."

"Uh, question. Question?" Naruto spoke up.

"What is it?" the proctor said, a little annoyed.

"What about Sasuke?"

"If he doesn't show up by the time his name is called, he automatically forfeits the match to his assigned opponent. Now," the proctor continued, "listen up! The terrain's different, but the rules are the same as before: there are no rules."

Akira smirked a little without knowing. Shikamaru glanced at her from the corner of his eye and frowned a little, either from worry or suspicion.

"The match continues until one candidate acknowledges defeat or dies. That being said, if I determine a match is over, then it's over. Anyone who continues the match after that is immediately disqualified. No arguments permitted. Understood?"

"Understood, sensei," Akira said almost in a mocking tone; stopping a match was ridiculous in her opinion.

"Good. Now, the first two opponents - Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga - stay. The rest, go to the waiting area."

Akira patted Naruto on the shoulder and glared at Neji before turning away and following the others into the waiting area which overlooked the battlefield. The Uchiha let out a long sigh as she leaned against the railing and watched the two boys face each other. She secretly crossed her fingers. Naruto would have to defy all the odds against him to beat Neji Hyuga. Akira clenched her fist and looked at the blonde boy in the orange tracksuit.

"I wish you success, Naruto..."


	34. Shadow Possession Jutsu

Both anticipation and tension were growing quickly even though Neji and Naruto were simply standing in front of each other, most likely whispering profanities at each other despite no one other than themselves being able to hear it. It was probably better that way, all the same. The proctor moved between the two and said a few words, and as quickly as he moved back, Neji and Naruto got into position.

"Let the first match... begin!"

Despite the cheering crowd, neither Neji or Naruto moved an inch. It took quite a long time before Naruto decided to launch a frontal attack much to Akira's dismay. She knew that a frontal atack was useless against Naruto, but he apparently didn't remember that bit of information. Of course, Neji blocked every single one of his attacks, but Akira couldn't help but watch intently for a weak point in Neji's technique that Naruto could take advantage of. Or maybe she just wanted to find out for her own gain. Either way, her midnight blue eyes were dead set on the fight, her fists tightly clenching the railing before her. Naruto suddenly pulled back from Neji and produced four shadow clones.

Smart, Akira thought. Dispersing his chakra evenly in five different entities should make it a little harder on the Hyuga.

However, instead of throwing kunai, Naruto sent his clones in to attack while he waited behind to sneak in, which he did. But Neji saw right through it and dodged the attack with ease. Naruto did it again. This time, Neji jumped up and kicked two of the Narutos in the head, making them disappear in clouds of smoke. The two remaining clones charged as well, but they were easily pushed forward and destroyed. Neji and Naruto spoke once more before Naruto angrily produced at least one hundred shadow clones which all charged at Neji at once. Again, he blocked every single one of their attacks with impressive speed and ease, speed and ease which Akira thought - knew - she'd have trouble keeping up with herself. He ran straight for the Naruto that was keeping himself the furthest and jabbed a Chakra-filled finger into his shoulder. Akira assumed that Neji thought this was the real Naruto. From where she was standing, Akira could've sworn that that Naruto was laughing, as all the clones disappeared one by one. Suddenly, that particular clone left in a cloud of smoke and two other Narutos jumped out from behind Neji, pouncing to his position. Just as the Narutos fists touched Neji's face, they were blown back because of a cloud of pale blue Chakra that swirled around Neji. Akira's eyes widened. Another swarm of Naruto's clones charged at Neji, but he deflected them all again by spinning so fast and sending out Chakra from all the points in his body, that it created a barrier that protected him from all angles and repel his enemy. Neji then charged at Naruto with a flurry of jabs which sent Naruto flying backwards and the proctor to come check on him to see if he needed to end the match. However, before he could reach him, Naruto was on his feet again, even more determined than before. However, Neji charged at him once more and hit Naruto directly in the chest, a hit that was almost fatal to Hinata. Neji turned, waving at the proctor to come check Naruto, but once again, the boy was up, this time, a different aura about him. Akira couldn't help but smile a little. Suddenly, a swirl of bright red Chakra rose around Naruto, healing all his wounds in the process and spiraling out into nine distinctive tail-like branches. Then he was surrounded in the Nine-Tailed Fox's Chakra and began attacking Neji repeatedly, the latter barely able to keep up with Naruto's newfound speed and accuracy. After one last clash, which turned into an immensely scaled explosion, Naruto came out the victor.

"Doubted it. Not surprised it happened," Akira mumbled to herself, looking down at Naruto with a small smile.

"I doubted it. I'm also surprised it happened," Shikamaru said, walking up beside Akira.

The proctor announced that Naruto was the winner and the crowd cheered, not believing their eyes. Neji was carried off by medics, unable to move and he ran up to the waiting area. Everyone congratulated him on his win, even Shikamaru, quite reluctantly, saying that it was a drag that he was probably the worst competitor now.

"Now, onto the next match: Shikamaru Nara versus Akira Uchiha!"

The bright and hot summer sun beat down on Akira, but she was still trying to suppress a shiver. Her breath suddenly became rapid and shallow, footsteps only echoed in her ears as she stepped down to the battlefield. The harsh light blinded her, but her midnight blue eyes adjusted easily once again. Akira stepped beside the proctor, her teal kimono swaying lightly in the small breeze, and faced Shikamaru, who didn't look phased at all - in fact, he looked more annoyed than anything else. Slowly, the sound of cheers reached Akira's ears and her surroundings became less murky, her focus returned and her body stopped wanting to shake. Shikamaru suddenly looked a little worried.

"Worried?" Akira asked, taunting him.

"Taunting isn't going to do anything, Akira," he replied.

"No, but it's fun."

Akira turned to the proctor.

"Introductions are made, we've exchanged our required little words, our taunts, can we start the match now?"

"I almost forgot... you're spunky," Shikamaru said, annoyed. "I hate spunky."

"Let the match begin!" the proctor shouted.

As soon as he did, Akira charged forward, eyes fixed on Shikamaru. She found that the kimono was restricting her movements a little, but she ignored it with reason, and pulled out her Katana from her arm holsters. With a quick swing, she brought both swords down on her best friend, who dodged them as they hit the ground and created a large cloud of dust.

"It really doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me if I make it to Chūnin or not, but I guess maybe I shouldn't let myself get beaten by a female," Shikamaru smirked.

"Is that any way to treat your best friend?" Akira said, irritated.

"Let's do it."

Akira pointed her Katana to the sky and threw them, performing a jutsu very rapidly and catching her swords as they fell back down. In mere moments, Akira stabbed the ground with her Katana, and bright blue lightning cracked through the ground and rushed towards Shikamaru. Rock and dirt blasted up through the air again. This time, when the dust settled, Shikamaru was nowhere to be found. Akira straightened herself and shook off the dust from her kimono, her eyes scanning every inch of the battlefield, especially keeping an eye on the shadows present, knowing full-well what her best friend's M.O. was. Akira found Shikamaru crouching down beside the only tree in the arena, just biding his time.

Akira merely stared at him for a while, trying to think what he would do and what she should do. Shikamaru then grinned. The girl narrowed her eyes at him. What could he possibly be thinking? Akira twirled her swords in her hands and planted them firmly into the ground. She performed various handsigns at a rapid speed and picked up her swords again, pointing them directly at Shikamaru.

"Inazuma!"

Suddenly, bolts of yellow lightning formed around her swords and shot directly at Shikamaru, tearing up more ground than her previous jutsu. It was too fast for him to dodge completely. While he was able to move out of the way a little, Akira's jutsu still managed to nick him, electrocuting him anyway. However, just as he landed, Akira spotted a shadow heading towards her. She gasped a little and jumped backwards repeatedly until Shikamaru had stretched out the shadow as far as possible. The girl smirked.

"Can't reach me, Shikamaru," Akira said with a chuckle. "Try again next time."

Shikamaru then put his hands together in what looked like a hand sign, but Akira knew better. It wasn't a hand sign. It was just a habit of his. When he played a game of Go, for example, against someone who could potentially win, if he was in a bind he'd put his hands together and think. Moments later, he'd separated his hands and glared at Akira.

"What have you come up with this time, Shikamaru," Akira whispered to herself.

All of a sudden, a kunai was coming her way. Akira deflected it with a Katana. She gasped and jumped backwards. The kunai had distracted her from the shadow which, somehow, had gotten longer. Akira looked up at the sky for a moment and she understood. He wasn't just hiding and staring at the clouds, he was killing time. The longer they waited, the lower the sun would be and the longer the shadow would be. Akira looked back at him and smirked.

"Smart. Eventually I'll run out of time. Guess I'll just have to finish this quickly," Akira said, prepping her swords again for another attack.

However, she gasped in surprise when the shadow suddenly got longer again. Another shadow popped up out of nowhere, allowing Shikamaru to elongate the shadow he was using. Akira backed up each time the shadow pressed forward. She looked up and her eyes widened. Shikamaru has created a parachute with his jacket and a kunai, it's shadow floating along the ground. Akira growled and and grabbed shuriken out of her pouch, throwing them at the parachute and knocking it down. Immediately after, Akira planted her swords in the ground and, with unimaginable speed, which she'd been working on improving, dashed directly at Shikamaru, stepping over the shadows he was using as they zig-zagged towards her all the while performing numerous handsigns. Once she reached Shikamaru, she landed a series of punches on him then followed up with a jab of lightning Chakra straight to his chest. Shikamaru was sent flying backwards, but before he could land on the ground, Akira went to kick the ground and shoot him with a jolt of lightning, but she found that she couldn't move an inch.

"What the- where'd you get me from!?" Akira shouted, knowing very well that Shikamaru had managed to get her with his shadow possession jutsu.

"Look behind you - I'll permit it," Shikamaru said, turning his head so that Akira would mimic him.

During the last fight, Naruto had created two holes in the ground which were connected and he used to punch Neji in the face, much to Akira's amusement. Shikamaru had used the shadows in the holes to get to her.

"Okay, what kind of weirdo thinks of shadows in holes!?"

"This weirdo. Which is why you can't beat me at Go."

Shikamaru then raised his hand, forcing Akira to do the same. Panic set in. He was going to win this match by having her forfeit it. If this happened, would that mean she'd have no chance at being a Chūnin? If she wasn't a Chūnin, did that mean she'd have to wait another year to retake the exam? She couldn't wait another year. She'd already wasted so much time in the academy trying to be better than Sasuke, and now that she was, she'd have to wait?

"The hell with it. I give up."

Akira frowned, not believing her ears, but then burst out laughing as Shikamaru released his Shadow Possession Jutsu. The crowd was in an uproar. Displeased.

"This is so like you - too lazy to do anything!" Akira said, exasperated. "You know, if you can still get promoted to Chūnin after losing a battle, I hope they promote you, Shikamaru." The girl went over to shake his best friends hand. "I might have moved on to the next round, but you won. Congratulations."


	35. A Sixth and Final Tomoe

No one was pleased. The entire crowd was complaining about Shikamaru's actions. Akira could hear Naruto yell at Shikamaru for quitting when he had the match won, but she could also hear him complain that she wasn't annoyed enough about the situation. Akira didn't care. Shikamaru clearly had the battle won, but he removed himself from the match of his own free will and that lead to her victory of the match. In the end, it was because of him that she could proceed to the next round, so why would she be angry about it? Besides, it wasn't like she wanted to fight Shikamaru, Akira really wanted to fight Temari.

"All right, Shikamaru. Get yourself up to the viewing area so I can fight the one I really wanted to fight."

"You just want to put her money with her mouth is, don't you?" Shikamaru chuckled.

"Yes, but she's also an enemy who thinks a lot like you. So it'll be like fighting you, but with her trying to analyze me a lot more," Akira said, then smiled wryly. "It'll be her downfall."

"Remember, Akira... Keep a clear head."

Akira nodded to her friend and he left the battlefield for the viewing area. Seconds later, Temari floated down on her large fighting fan and landed gracefully in front of Akira. She glared at the Uchiha.

"Think I'm going to be easy to beat, do you?" she challenged.

"No. I simply said I knew how you were going to lose," Akira said nicely.

Temari shouted loudly and rushed at Akira without the proctor announcing the start of the match. Akira smiled and gently closed her eyes and exhaled, getting into a comfortable yet solid stance, and took out a kunai from one of her pouches. Temari threw a dozen kunai at her, but Akira gracefully avoided every single one, knocking the last one going straight for her out of the way with the kunai she was holding. The sound of the blades whooshing past her ears was loud, and the clink of both blades together rang in her ears. Akira exhaled again and loosened her body, retaking her stance. She opened her midnight blue eyes and stared directly at Temari, her teal kimono swaying in the wind.

"Why aren't you moving!?" Temari shouted.

"Because I don't need to," Akira replied simply.

Temari growled again and picked up her large fan. Akira's eyes narrowed. A large gust of wind was suddenly rushing towards her at great speed. Akira undid the belt of her kimono and sent Chakra to her feet, allowing her to jump out of the way without much effort. Akira's kimono landed on the ground before she did. It floated downwards and onto the ground. Temari frowned. Akira was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, a large flash of blue shone from behind her and Temari went flying fowards, skidding face first on the ground. When she got up and turned around, it was like Akira had never moved. She was still peaceful-looking and in a solid tai chi position, only this time she wasn't wearing her kimono. Instead, she was standing right beside it and she was wearing her usual training outfit.

"What the hell is your deal!?" Temari growled again, getting angrier by the second.

"I have no deal. I'm only reacting to your attacks," Akira said with a small smile.

"Stop smiling!"

Temari yelled again and sent a flurry of wind blasts towards Akira, all in different directions so that it was harder to avoid. Akira blinked, looked at each of them and readjusted her position then closed her eyes, bending backwards so that all the gusts of wind passed just above her. As she was falling back, Akira performed a few hand signs and took out two handfuls of kunai, and threw them at Temari through the gusts of wind. The second Akira's back touched the ground, she completed her jutsu and the kunai were propelled faster towards her opponent in a bright flash of lightning. It was only when Akira heard a yell and a grunt that she calmly rose up from the ground. Temari was pinned to the tree Shikamaru was hiding behind earlier, a few kunai in her shirt, one in her shoulder and one in her leg. Her fan lay many feet away.

"How did those get through my attack!?"

"Simple," Akira said, then opened her eyes.

Temari gasped, and the people in the crowd who could see her eyes did as well. Akira's midnight blue eyes were blood red, the Sharingan awakened with three tomoe in each eye. Not only had she been training to better control her manipulation of water or the control over her cursed mark, which hadn't pained her in days, Maru-sama had also insisted on making her Sharingan evolve to its last stage, a task she'd completed a while back.

"It's fully developped... You have a fully developped Sharingan..." Temari breathed.

"Yes, I do," Akira smiled. "That's why it was so easy to throw my kunai in the places where the gusts of wind were less strong."

"H-How?"

"Practise. Training. You can't go anywhere without putting in a little blood, sweat and tears."

Temari tried to wiggle out of her predicament, but the kunai in her shoulder and her leg had pierced deeply, and her sleeves were pinned to the tree behind her. She looked at Akira, who seemed fearfully calm, with panic in her eyes. Akira slowly pulled out one of the short knives in the holsters on her arms and flicked her wrist, allowing the Katana to fully extend. She put the blade in her mouth and performed a hand sign then grasped her weapon again. It instantly flashed with yellow lightning as she pointed it at Temari. Within seconds, the lightning from the blade had reached Temari and a shriek burst from her mouth. Once her head lolled, Akira stopped the jutsu and put her blade away. Although she was still conscious, Temari was in no shape to continue.

"Since Temari is unable to battle any longer, the winner of this match is Akira Uchiha!" the proctor said.

The crowd cheered the loudest Akira had heard it cheer so far. Suddenly, a feeling of relief washed over her. The stress of high expectations was gone. There was nothing she could do now but wait. Akira blinked and her Sharingan disappeared, then bowed to the crowd before heading back up to the waiting area as medical-nin carried Temari away for a few moments to wake her up properly. Upon arriving in the waiting area, Naruto talked her with a hug that knocked her to the ground. Shikamaru helped her back up.

"All right, that was amazing, Akira!" Naruto shouted, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, not bad," Shikamaru agreed.

"I do try on occasion," Akira chuckled.

"Next up is Shino Aburame and Kankuro. Please step down," the proctor called.

"It's all right!" Kankuro called back. "Proctor, I withdraw!"

"What!?" everyone in the waiting room called, save Gaara.

"I withdraw, so please advance to the next match."

It was in this moment that Akira remembered that Sasuke had been late, and realized that he still hadn't shown up. It was the last match and he still hadn't arrived? Akira looked to the entrance to the battlefield in the hopes that Sasuke would arrive any second, but a few minutes passed and there was still no sign of him. The girl began to worry. If he didn't show up soon, the proctor would be forced to announce that Sasuke forfeited his match to Gaara. Though it seemed, for the time being, that Naruto yelling at the proctor was delaying that outcome. Seconds later, another ninja jumped down beside the proctor and whispered to him before disappearing again. Naruto jumped back up to the viewing area.

"There waiting another ten minutes for him and then they're calling it," he said. "I swear, if he doesn't show up the crowd will tear him apart, and if they don't, I will."

"I'm sure the little punk is just trying to make an entrance," Shikamaru said.

Akira couldn't disagree. Sasuke was known for being dramatic at times, especially in the moments it was the least welcome. Akira looked at Naruto's watch every so often, anxiously checking to see how long Sasuke had before they disqualified him. When there was only thirty seconds left, Akira's eyes didn't leave the watch. She was counting down. 25... 24... 23... Akira's eyes flashed to the entrance. No Sasuke. 11... 10... 9... Suddenly, there was a large gust of wind with leaves spiraling everywhere. From that spiral, Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei appeared, looking calm and collected as usual. Akira's hearbeat accelerated for a moment, relieved, yet also annoyed. Kakashi-sensei smiled beneath his mask and Akira strained to hear his words.

"Sorry we're late," he said in his usual apathetic tone of voice. "You wouldn't believe the traffic."

"And you are?" the proctor asked Sasuke, annoyed.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha," the boy replied, glaring at the man.

The crowd erupted into cheers again, people chanting 'Uchiha' just like they had did with Akira. Akira couldn't help but be annoyed. He'd shown up late, of course, making everyone wait like he was emperor of the universe. The girl sighed. At least he decided to show up.

"Huh, so you finally decided to show up after all," Naruto called to him. "I figured you wouldn't show 'cause sooner or later you'd have to face me!"

"Naruto, he's late because he's a drama queen," Akira said, glaring at her brother.

"So, what about you two? Did you win?" Sasuke asked.

"Only 'cause Shikamaru is a lazy piece of work. Although I did kick Temari's ass after that," Akira admitted.

"You know it!" Naruto said proudly.

"Huh. Well, don't get too full of yourself. You're still a loser, Naruto."

"What about me?" Akira asked, teasing.

"You're still my annoying overachieving sister."

"Good to know." Akira looked at Gaara then back at Sasuke. "Make sure you don't lose to him."

Sasuke nodded and Gaara went down, the same look in his eye that Akira had seen before. Only this time, she didn't have the time or will to calm him down. This was his and Sasuke's battle, there was no way she was going to tamper with it. She'd never hear the end of it. Akira looked across the room. Temari had come back and was standing beside Kankuro. Both looked quite worried. Akira frowned; what were they so worried about?

"Okay," the proctor said as Gaara arrived in front of Sasuke, "we're finally here."


	36. Konoha Under Attack!

Sasuke's new Chidori or the strange arm that came out of Gaara's cocoon of sand wasn't the thing that caught Akira's attention the most. It was something far more dangerous. Thousands of white feathers were floating down onto the people into the stands and onto the battlefield, passing mere inches from Akira's nose. She began to feel drowsy, the feathers lulling her to sleep, but she put her hands together in a basic handsign and dispelled the Genjutsu that had settled upon everyone else. She had no time to look over to the others when there was a loud crash above her and a terrible rumble sounded and shook the ground beneath her feet. Akira immediately jumped down to the battlefield and ran to her brother's side; the both of them together could cause some serious damage together. Sasuke and Akira looked up to the Hokage and Kazegake's seats; there was a large cloud of dust that was settling, from which the Kazegake emerged, holding the Hokage hostage with a kunai to his throat. Numerous members of the Anbu Black Ops were on the roof where the Hokage was being held, however, four of them suddenly ripped themselves from their costumes and came out as four ninja bearing the Sound Village insignia on their forehead protectors. From what Akira could see, one of them had six arms and another had two heads. The girl frowned: nothing good was going to come out of them, especially since she knew the sketchy Jōnin of their village.

Suddenly, just as the four remaining Anbu Black Ops member jumped up to help the Hokage, the four Sound Village ninja performed a jutsu at incredible speed, making a large purple barrier surround them, the Kazekage and the trapped Hokage. Then the barrier extended and a roof was made above it, preventing anyone from coming in or out of the purple light prison. One of the Anbu Black Ops tried to go through the barrier, but when he came into contact with it all he could accomplish was bursting into flames. Akira growled. The Anbu Black Ops were outsmarted by the Sound Village... and they were supposed to be the best. The girl's eyes then drifted down a little, to where someone dressed as an Anbu was standing alongside four Sound Village ninja. Without a second of hesitation, Akira left her brother behind and released her Katana just after throwing a dozen kunai and shuriken at the enemy. She sent Chakra to her feet and jumped up, slicing through two of the ninja. She then skidded passed the rest of them and stood alongside Kakashi-sensei and Guy-sensei that just so happened to be nearby.

"I can see why she is a top contender, Kakashi," Guy-sensei said in a stern voice for once as he glanced down at the cut down ninja.

"I'm afraid to say that you haven't seen much of my ability yet, Guy-sensei," Akira said, staring at the fake Anbu member. "Kakashi-sensei, where do you need me?"

"Down there. With Sasuke," Kakashi said sternly.

As Akira went to run back down, Kakashi grabbed her arm and made her face him. Neither of them were showing emotions upon their faces, but Akira could tell that Kakashi was nervous from the strangle gleam in his eye. The girl frowned.

"Can I trust you?"

"What? Of course you can trust me! Who do you think I am, some -"

"Akira. Can I trust you?" Kakashi repeated, stressing every word.

"Yes," the girl replied, nodding firmly.

"Then do anything to keep your brother safe."

"Sasuke? But -"

"Akira that's an order."

Akira exhaled quickly and nodded once. Then swiftly passed the fake allies and jumped back down to the battlefield where Sasuke and Gaara were. The second she landed beside him, she noticed that Temari and and Kankuro had joined them. They were hunched over a crouching Gaara, who was holding his head in pain and growling. Akira gripped her Katana tighter and stepped in front of Sasuke, confusing the boy even more. It seemed that, just like Akira, Kakashi knew that Gaara was a Jinchūriki just like Naruto. Though she still didn't know why Kakashi insisted on whether she could be trusted or not. She'd cut down enemy ninja right in front of him. Was that not enough proof?

"What the hell is going on here, Akira!?" Sasuke asked, rather angry

"I only know what I can deduce from what I have seen." Akira looked over her shoulder at her brother. "The Sand and Sound Ninja have seemed to ally themselves, regardless of the new treaty, to destroy the leaf village; The Hokage is being held captive by the Kazekage on the roof inside a giant purple force field; The entire crowd is asleep because of Genjutsu performed by fake Anbu Black Ops members; and Kakashi-sensei has asked me to do anything to protect you."

"I can take care of myself and you know it, Akira!"

"Apparently not."

"Stop that, Gaara!"

At the sound of Temari's voice, Akira turned back around to face the three Sand Ninja. Gaara was trying to walk to Sasuke, no doubt to finish their duel.

"I must kill him," Gaara tried to argue.

"There's no point in continuing this fight!" Kankuro told him, trying to block his path.

"That's right. Don't forget our mission!" Temari added.

"Mission?" Akira whispered to herself.

"Out of my way!" Gaara shouted.

With a flicker, the three Genin's team leader popped in, shielding them from Akira and Sasuke. Moments later, the proctor who was overseeing the matches earlier also flickered before the rest of them, this time directly in front of Akira. The two Jōnin glared at each other until Gaara fell to his knees again. The Sand Village team leader looked back at him, seemingly concerned. Akira glanced at the proctor. He was staring at the four Sand Ninja, silent and unmoving, watching and listening to what they were discussing. She thought it best to do the same.

"What's wrong?" Kankuro asked, sounding a little panicked.

"His wound is worse than I thought," Temari said, crouching beside Gaara. "And his Chakra is almost all drained away."

Akira gasped a little, though not enough to gain the proctor's attention. The unsealed demon inside Gaara was already hard enough to control with his own Chakra alone, Akira couldn't imagine how long Gaara could withhold the beast without any left.

"Wait, what about using that-"

"It's impossible right now," Temari interrupted Kankuro.

"You fool," the team leader scolded, staring at Gaara almost fearfully now. "It's all because you tried to transform before the signal was given."

"So what do we do now?" Kankuro questioned. "We need Gaara for this."

"Gaara is the trump card of the Village Hidden in the Sand," the team leader said. "We have to get him to play his part, no matter what." The man sighed. "All right, for now, take Gaara away and tend to his wounds. As soon as his Chakra has been restored, the operation will continue."

"You got it," Kankuro stated.

"What about you, Sensei?" Temari asked.

"I'm going to take care of these guys," he said, looking back towards, the proctor and both Uchiha.

Akira heard the proctor scoff.

"Do you really think that things will go according to your plan?" he asked.

"I'll make sure that they do."

It took only a moment for the Sand Village Jōnin to yell at his students to make a run for it. Akira glared and nearly made a run for them, but she remembered that she had to keep Sasuke safe. Besides, she wasn't sure she would be able to get past the Sand Ninja that stood before the proctor.

"And is the host of this party, Orochimaru?"

Both Akira and Sasuke stared at the back of the proctor's head, scared. Sasuke's dark eyes were especially wide, and Akira's breathing quietly became faster.

"Don't know," the Sand Ninja said with a smirk. "And don't care. Now let's heat things up, huh?"

"Akira... Sasuke..." the proctor muttered after a moment. The siblings both looked at him. "The Chūnin exams are over. You are both of Chūnin skill level and you are both Hidden Leaf Shinobi. Now put your training to good use."

"Follow Gaara, Kankuro and Temari?" Akira stated more than she asked. "Sasuke and I will go."

"Just be careful. This is the real thing, not a match."

"Yes, sensei."

In a split second, Akira grabbed her brother by the arm and pulled him along with her as she made a run towards the last place they saw Temari, Kankuro and Gaara. Eventually he'd pulled from her grasp and attempted to accelerate, but Akira only pulled him back to deflect five oncoming kunai from the Sand Ninja with her Katana. She ignored the annoyed face of her brother as they both jumped up and over the battlefield walls and into the forest that surrounded the arena.

Blurred visions of trees passed before Akira's eyes as she and Sasuke jumped from tree to tree at extreme speeds and gained even more ground by sprinting on the forest floor on occasion. Wind rushed through her loose black hair and whipped it backwards, her midnight blue eyes were focused on the path she was following, and her ears were perked to pick up any kind of sound that could reach them. Akira suddenly glanced over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes.

"What is it?" Sasuke inquired.

"Three ninja and a summon just came into my detection range," Akira replied. "There is no need to worry, my range is very long and I recognize these Chakra signatures."

"Is that good or bad?"

"It's Sakura, Naruto and Shikamaru. The summon is no doubt Pakkun, one of Kakashi-sensei's dog summons. He and Might Guy were fighting fake Anbu last I saw them, and Sakura was watching. No doubt he didn't anticipate on you leaving the battlefield and is sending them to help me protect you."

"Why the hell does he think I need protection so bad!?" Sasuke said, outraged. "I'm beyond Chūnin level, the proctor said s o himse-"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Sasuke. You heard what the proctor said; this is most likely, in part, the work of Orochimaru and we both know how your last encounter went." Sasuke glared at his sister. She sent him a side glance. "Last time we saw Orochimaru, he put a Curse Mark on us. No one puts a Curse Mark on just anyone, and for no reason, Sasuke. Kakashi, and most likely everyone who knows about these Marks, are worried that Orochimaru wants something more of us. Now, for once, I would greatly appreciate it if you stunted your pride and let me make the decisions for now."

It seemed as though Sasuke was about to protest, however Akira's eyes flickered back to the front and they widened ever so slightly. Sasuke's eyes followed. Temari, Kankuro and Gaara were only just within their sight line. Akira wordlessly signaled for them to accelerate, and so they did, gaining more and more on the Sand Village trio. Akira could sense Temari's and Kankuro's nervousness, and could feel Gaara's Chakra growing weaker by the second, the same strange aura starting to come back as she had felt it before. Suddenly she felt them stop moving and she told Sasuke, who almost stopped as well, but Akira signaled for them to keep going, hoping to give the illusion that they didn't know they'd stopped:

"We can't stop or it'll give us away. We want them to think we aren't onto them, especially if they're stopping to lay a trap," Akira explained. "We don't want to rush in eith - Sasuke!"

Though, Sasuke didn't pay heed to Akira's warning and he advanced faster. Sasuke set foot on the wrong tree, and a multitude of paperbombs exploded. Sasuke began jumping out of the way of all the paperbombs exploding. With a gasp, Akira threw shuriken at Sasuke. As he dodged them, he also dodged many nearly invisible cables ready to cut anyone who landed on them too strongly. Sasuke landed on a nearby tree and sighed, nodding in his sister's direction in thanks for the last minute save. Akira's head twitched to the left and the both of them ran a few more strides before finally coming face to face with Temari, Kakuro and Gaara.


	37. Shukaku the Sand-Demon

The forest seemed ominously quiet. Akira and Sasuke paused before Kankuro, Temari and the unconscious Gaara, now that even the sounds of their own footfalls were silent because of the tension. All that could be heard was the twisting and flitting of leaves in the gusty wind. Akira looked up, suddenly transfixed by the myriad of fluttering leaves that danced in the high branches. It was almost calm now. The leaves were hypnotizing, but it wasn't Genjutsu. Still, the longer Akira stared, the more she had the impression that the calm leaves were lying to her, a false air of calm before the storm, and it made her even more uneasy.

She should have expected it, seen it coming, given it was Temari, but Akira was a little taken aback when the female Sand Ninja jumped forward and straight towards Akira and Sasuke. She launched six kunai, three from each hand, each set heading for Akira and Sasuke. They dodged the weapons easily, merely sidestepping away from the attack. Akira frowned. Temari was at her best; her attack was weak and ill-placed. The situation was throwing her off. However, it did give Kankuro enough time to stop arguing and run off in the opposite direction. Akira and Sasuke shared a look before immediately splitting off in different directions. Temari hesitated for a moment, but decided that Sasuke was the bigger threat and went for him allowing Akira to run off after Kankuro.

Dashing through the forest, wind whisking her hair back, Akira flung out her Katana and they extended, cutting into leaves as she rushed by. She kept her midnight blue eyes on Kankuro, rarely blinking. She noticed he was slowing down, no doubt from the exhaustion of carrying Gaara around. Her eyes flickered back when she heard an explosion behind her, but Akira couldn't worry herself with that. She knew better to let Kankuro get away even though her original instructions were to keep an eye on Sasuke. He could take care of himself, though, Akira thought reasonably. So she pushed on, hoping that her brother would join her in the next few minutes.

Kankuro had slowed down too much. Akira managed to speed up a little and get ahead of Kankuro. She jumped on a branch in front of him and stared him down. Kankuro stopped briskly. Akira twirled her swords in hand.

"This is the end of the line, Kankuro," Akira said calmly. "I've grown to not detest you, I must admit, however, our goals are no longer aligned, and I cannot allow you to go any further because of this."

"Fine," he said. "I'll be your opponent."

"I hope, for your sake, that Sasuke did not permanently damage your sister." Kankuro's fear finally etched itself upon his face. "However, please know that if my brother spared her, do not expect me to do the same. I'm sure you by now, I wasn't trained to be merciful," Akira continued even-voiced, her face emotionless.

"Who did train you, anyway?" Sasuke asked as he suddenly dropped beside his sister.

"That is of no concern at the moment," Akira stated, avoiding the question. "My concern is that Temari isn't completely out of commission. Are you getting soft, brother?"

Temari had also dropped in. She was beside Kankuro now, looking beaten and battered. Her chakra signature was weak, so her fan wouldn't be a problem, but Akira could tell she still had enough in her to carry Gaara off again.

"I spent to much time with her. I figured I'd be more useful here," Sasuke said, eyeing his sister suspiciously.

"Lucky for Temari," Akira said plainly. "Neither of them will get any niceties from me, however." Sasuke glared at Akira, obviously annoyed. "Direct your anger towards them, brother. You have no quarrel with me."

Sasuke huffed at her. Nevertheless, he turned towards Temari, Gaara and Kankuro. His face twisted, looking almost maniacal, just as it did when they'd fought Zaku, Dosu and Kin in the Forest of Death. Akira's was eerily calm, however, though it didn't make it any less terrifying. Akira's eyes then narrowed. Kankuro had stepped forward, his bandaged-wrapped package no longer on his back, but beside him and ready to be used, whatever it was. Akira and Sasuke had their suspicions, though.

"Temari, you take Gaara and go on ahead," Kankuro said sternly. "You're at your limit... I don't need a hindrance." Akira almost smirked. "Hurry up and go!"

"I guess I will be fighting you, then," Akira said, gripping her Katana tighter.

"No!"

Everyone turned towards the source of the voice. It was Shino Aburame, the insect tamer who was supposed to fight Kankuro during the final rounds of the Chūnin exams. Akira's eyebrows furrowed. How had she not sensed him approaching?

"Your opponent is me!"

"What do you want?" Kankuro asked Shino, looking very much confused.

"Shino?" Sasuke questioned. "How did you find us?"

"I planted a beetle on you as you left the arena," Shino said, pointing to Sasuke. "A female beetle. She gives off a very faint scent, nothing you could detect, but the male of species can."

"I would say that it's impressive, but it seems that Sasuke has been slacking recently, so I cannot give you the credit you deserve," Akira stated, looking at her brother, unimpressed.

"Sasuke and Akira Uchiha. It's Gaara you're really after." He looked over at Sasuke and Akira. "I have unfinished business with Kankuro because our match never even started. So go, leave him to me."

"Well, all right then, if you're sure you're okay," Sasuke said with a smirk.

"Don't worry. In ten minutes I'll be coming after you two to make sure you're okay."

"Don't waste your time. By then, our work will be done too."

With a nod, Akira and Sasuke left Shino and Kankuro to battle. They pursued Temari and Gaara through the leaves and branches, jumping from tree to tree with extreme ease. Akira noticed that Temari was much faster than Kankuro, so she signaled for Sasuke to pick up the pace. However, it ended up being pointless. She sensed that they had stopped moving. Akira figured that Gaara had woken up. Her suspicions were confirmed when she and Sasuke came upon the small clearing the trees where they'd stopped, and Gaara punched Temari so hard she flew into a tree and slid down, falling to the forest floor. Suddenly, Gaara's closed eyes reopened and stared the Uchiha down. Neither of them showed any signs of being scared. Though, she'd be stupid not to be scared at least a little. Underestimating your opponent was never a good idea. However, Akira wasn't as much scared for herself and her brother than what damage the monster was causing inside Gaara.

"I have no idea what kind of scheme you Sand Village clowns have got going, but I'll stop it, no matter what it is!" Sasuke said, suddenly getting agitated.

Akira's pupils dilated then contracted as she stared at Gaara's face. His skin was cracking, but she knew it was his sand armor, his last defense, that was shattering right before her eyes.

"Besides," Sasuke continued, "I'm dying to see what you really are."

"Trust me, Sasuke, I don't think you want to," Akira said, looking unphased, but Sasuke could see the worry in her eyes.

Just then, Akira put her guard up as Gaara began yelling and clutching his head in pain again. His armour began to crack even more, small pieces of it even falling out to expose his skin, or maybe the monster within. From this distance Akira couldn't tell. However, she knew that whatever was inside, both herself and Sasuke were going to see it with their own eyes. Gaara shouted again, this time with even more ferocity than before. He was breaking, losing all control.

"No. Not now... Not now!" he bellowed.

"Gaara, no!" Temari yelled from another tree. "Remember our mission!"

"We're so alike, Uchiha," Gaara said in a dangerous tone of voice, though it was unclear to which Uchiha he was speaking to. What was clear is that it was the demon talking now, and not Gaara. "I don't have friends as you have, but they're not what makes you strong. It's your purpose that does it. In that way we're alike." Gaara's face changed immediately to the demon-like expression Akira had seen before. He had the eyes of the demon inside him. "But mine is a stronger purpose. It's only by destroying you and all that you stand for that I can even prove that I exist - it's the only way I can know what life truly is!"

Suddenly, Gaara began yelling again, the heartbreaking shouts echoing throughout the forest. His head in his hands, he fell to his knees. Akira, Sasuke and Temari all gasped at the sight before them: a large sand-like clawed appendage had consumed Gaara's arm, blue markings marbling it. The sand began to creep from his arm to his face, spreading over half of it like a disease. The white of his right eye had turned as black as the night sky, and his iris an aggressive shade of yellow. He stared at Akira and Sasuke, murder and bloodlust conveyed through a simple glance. And then he launched himself forward, his clawed arm stretched out towards the Uchiha siblings. They stepped back and jumped out of the way, though it was quite last second, and hid behind a tree as the clawed appendage landed where they once stood and decimated everything it touched.

"Is he human or monster!?" Sasuke said, more annoyed than scared.

"He's like Naruto. He has a demon inside him, only unlike Naruto, his demon isn't sealed away, it can come out whenever it wants unless Gaara controls it," Akira said, panting a little. "I managed to calm him down once, though he wasn't this far gone. He was about to kill Lee and I just... talked to him. I haven't the faintest idea how it worked, but it did. Though I suspect a mere heart to heart won't be sufficient to calm the beast within this time."

"Why do you hide, Uchiha!?" the demon growled loudly. "Do I frighten you!?"

Akira glanced sideways. Temari was terrified. She knew what this was and she most likely knew what Gaara could do in this form. Tears were streaming down her face and her hands were covering her ears as if to block out any temptation the demon could use against her.

"Are you shocked by my true form!? Come out, come out, Uchiha!"

Sasuke grunted, irritated. Akira hoped he had no intention of going out there without backup. Soon enough, the people following them would be here and they'd help, but until then, Akira planned on delaying or calming the creature that had begun taking over Gaara's body. She had been charged with keeping Sasuke safe, not putting him in danger.

"To live, I must kill! And you are my prey!"

Impatient, as usual, Sasuke performed a substitution jutsu and jumped out at Gaara. Immediately, the clawed arm darted forward and hit the substitute directly in the stomach, taking a chunk out of the log that Sasuke had sent out. Sasuke then came out from behind, six kunai in hand, with the intent of wounding Gaara. However, Akira wasted no time in pulling out her Katana and jumping in front of Sasuke, deflecting all the kunai. She pushed her brother out of the way, but she didn't do it without him putting up a fight. He tried to toss her aside mid-air, but she did it instead, sending him back to the tree he was once standing on. However, this made sure that Akira landed only a mere twenty feet away from Gaara, well within the sand claws that had formed on his arm. Akira swiftly put one of her Katana away and concentrated Chakra in that hand, ready to use her special ability that she'd kept secret from everyone save Kakashi-sensei and Maru-sama.

"Gaara!" Akira shouted as loud as she could. "I have no idea how I did this before, but I beg of you - calm down! I know you want to do this, but it is only what is locked inside of you that is making you want it. Toss me aside, kill me if you must, but it will bring you nothing!" Akira voice cracked, her throat raw from yelling. "Killing Sasuke and I will not bring you any answers or any peace! It will bring nothing, Gaara! Calm the demon inside you, I know you can! You've been doing it for years! You're strong, Gaara - prove it to me!"

The eye that still belonged to Gaara seemed to calm, but only for a fraction of a second before the anger re-surged and Akira was tossed aside by the clawed arm. However, she wasn't hit hard, only hard enough to cause a strong ringing in her ears, as if something had exploded next to her. Disoriented, Akira turned back to Sasuke; he'd sent more kunai at Gaara. They hit the sandy, clawed arm that the demon had created, then they disappeared inside it, only to reappear and launch themselves at Sasuke, flaming like sharp fireballs. Still a little hazy, Akira launched herself towards Sasuke and spun mid-air, deflecting the kunai with her Katana. Unfortunately, one of them still went through, and it hit Akira in the shoulder. She winced and fell back, but Sasuke caught her and pulled her behind a tree and out of Gaara's sight.

"Stop protecting me, Akira!" Sasuke growled, holding his sister at arm's length.

"Kakashi-sensei asked me to keep you safe, so I will," Akira said through clenched teeth as she pulled out the kunai in her shoulder. She planted it in the tree. "It was an order, and I am not making a habit out of disrespecting orders from a Jōnin."

"Fine. But don't get in my way."

"What's wrong Sasuke Uchiha? Why do you run and hide behind your little sister?" the demon taunted. "Why do you let her shield you, stop your attacks, stunt your hatred?"

"He's such a freak!" Sasuke whispered angrily.

"He is not a freak, Sasuke Uchiha," Akira said sternly. "He is tormented by the demon inside him. This isn't Gaara talking, right now."

A sudden crash brought Akira and Sasuke back to reality and the rampage that the demon inside Gaara was going on. Trees that were there just moments ago had been butchered, cut in half or ripped out of the ground. He then jumped out towards Akira and Sasuke, a loud growl coming out of his foaming mouth. Sasuke immediately moved out of the way as Gaara was making his way towards him and Akira, but Akira didn't move an inch. She stared Gaara down until he was mere feet away from him.

"What is your name!?" she bellowed. Gaara came to an immediate stop, as if he was commanded to stop moving by his drill sergeant. "It's obvious Gaara is no longer in control of his own body."

"You fool! You seek to flatter me by seeking my name? It will do you no good!" the demon said.

"I seek not to flatter you. I only ask for your name. It is only fair since you know mine." Akira's eyes narrowed. "I would also like to expand my knowledge of demons, as I already know one."

"A little girl like you knows of demons? Please, tell me, what imaginary demon name will you give me?"

"Kurama."

The bright yellow eye belonging to the demon widened, and the heavy breathing stopped.

"Kurama was- "

"Sealed away into a boy, yes," Akir said airily. "I know this boy. And I estimate he will be arriving here in mere minutes. Now, what is your name, Sand-Demon?"

All of a sudden, the gourd on Gaara's back turned to sand and fell down to the tree branch he was standing on. Moments later, blue veins appeared on it and the sand attached itself to his lower back, forming one giant, spiked tail.

"The One-Tailed beast..." Akira whispered. "Part of the nine..."

"Shukaku by name," the demon growled in reply.

"Well then, Shukaku, I guess I can let you know my true purpose in knowing your name." Shukaku's yellow eye narrowed at her. "Yes, knowing your identity personally interests me, however it was more useful to distract you."

There was flash of bright blue light that blinded Akira for a few moments. Sasuke tackled Shukaku's clawed arm and split it in half, completely destroying it with the chidori that he'd learned from Kakashi-sensei. Gaara was sent flying and landed violently on a thick branch of another tree. Shukaku laughed maniacally. He rose and glared at Sasuke then launched himself at the boy, but Akira got in the way once again, Kakashi-sensei's words ringing in her head. A large spiral of water rose from Akira's back and darted towards Gaara, surrounding the boy in a cocoon of clear blue liquid. Her Katana soon glowed bright yellow and she thrust it towards Gaara, and the yellow lightning of Inazuma electrified Gaara to the bone. Sasuke's eyes widened as he watched the events unfold, finally bearing witness to Akira's unique ability. But he was also staring at the flamelike pattern of Orochimaru's Curse Mark that had spread over her face and most of her body. Oddly enough, though she felt the pain that came with the Mark, Sasuke found that Akira wasn't bent over in pain, she was controlling it, and that made him furious. She'd learned this. She'd practised this. After all Kakashi-sensei had said to her, after all she said to Sakura, the girl had unsealed the Mark and started using it consciously. Sasuke then looked at her eyes. His own narrowed as he saw the three tomoe Sharingan awoken in both eyes as well. This usually caused extra pain, a loss of both body and mind, and yet Akira still had all her wits about.

"Sasuke! Together!"

Sasuke's looks of horror and anger dissipated as soon as she pronounced those words and began charging up his second and final Chidori. Moments later, the distinct buzzing of Inazuma filled the air around the siblings: Akira's left hand, which held a Katana, was lit up with the bright yellow lightning of her signature justsu. Her right hand was held out and steady, holding her Chakra-infused water against Gaara like a straight-jacket. With a yell, Sasuke darted towards Gaara, his hand lit bright blue with the Chidori. Akira's eyes widened, and for a moment she was scared. The black flamelike pattern that had spread across her skin had also spread across Sasuke's, but unlike her it was taking him over. The second the Chidori hit Gaara, both of them went flying in opposite directions. Akira's released her jutsu and her Chakra, returning her water to the gourd on her back. Sasuke and Gaara were both inert, each laying on thick branches of opposite trees, with Akira being the only thing separating them. More panic set itself inside Akira. The Curse Mark had paralyzed Sasuke. His entire body. Two Chidori was his limit, that was for sure, but she didn't think that the second would trigger the Curse Mark's power. Was he running that low on Chakra? Did he not train this for the final exam? Of course, Akira thought, it was to be expected: he didn't have Maru-sama to teach him like she had.

Akira watched Gaara in horror. The boy stood again, barely conscious, and the sand member that had been obliterated grew again, sand spreading over his arm like water. A few seconds passed and eyes filled with hate opened, a sea green and a yellow eye staring directly at the paralyzed Sasuke. It took only a split second for Akira to realize that Gaara was sprinting towards Sasuke because of the Sharingan, but her body couldn't react fast enough. Her chakra was trained to perfection, but her body? Still not as fast as Sasuke's. She watched in horror as Gaara approached Sasuke, powerless to do anything by the time he reached her brother. But to her surprise, but not the Sharingan's, Gaara was swiftly kicked down, denied a hit on Sasuke. It was Naruto who had arrived just on time with Sakura and Pakkun. Akira didn't see Shikamaru and her heartbeat quickened. She looked to Sakura with a panicked expresion, but she was too occupied with Sasuke to noticed, and Naruto was glaring at the boy he didn't recognize because of his mutation with Shukaku. Even Pakkun wasn't paying any attention to her pleading looks. Shikamaru was missing. Her best friend was missing. The calm that had dominated her so far left for good, a constant anxiety remaining to plague her mind.

"Akira..." The girl turned towards the voice. It was Sakura, finally looking at her with a concerned expression. "The Mark it's..."

"It has spread. Yes, I know," Akira said, trying to calm herself. "Do not worry, Sakura. I have been taught to control it - the Curse Mark will not harm me. I know it is not what I promised you, but circumstances have change and I hope that you can forgive me in time."

"I'm not worried about what you said to me now! I'm worried about the fact you can use that thing so freely! Didn't Kakashi-sensei seal that Mark?" Sakura asked.

"I had it unsealed."

"By who!?"

"Yes... that is a good question..."

Fear and confusion melded together to form Sakura's expression, but when she heard Sasuke groan, her head snapped back in his direction. Akira's eyes went to go back to Gaara, but they lingered a moment on the direction from which Naruto, Sakura and Pakkun had arrived, hoping that she'd see Shikamaru hiding in a tree or making his way towards her. But there was nothing, so Akira turned back to Gaara, her pupils dilating with every move he made, no matter how small. Naruto and Gaara were glaring at each other. Akira knew that Gaara (or Shukaku) recognized Naruto, but it was obvious that, because of his appearance, Naruto still couldn't see that the boy before him was Gaara.

"Naruto, do not wonder too much about this boy's identity," Akira told him. "This is Gaara; the Sand-Demon Shukaku has taken over his mind and body."

Naruto turned to her, looking both scared and surprised. Out of nowhere, Akira pushed Sasuke back down as he tried to rise again, determined to continue the battle. But he'd had reached his limit, and no matter how much he glared at Akira for stopping his attacks, or at Naruto for saving him again, it wouldn't change his sister's mind. Two Chidori was his limit, and if it awakened the Curse Mark's power, maybe she'd forbid him for ever using the jutsu more than once.

"Two is your limit, Sasuke," Akira said sternly. "If you use any more Chakra, the Curse Mark will take over and most likely kill you. If it doesn't, you Chakra will be depleted and then that will kill you. Either way, you die. Do you want to die, Sasuke?"

Sasuke glared and growled at his sister, defeated, and fell back down. Akira gave him a sad look before turning to Sakura to tell her to keep an eye on him. Akira was at Naruto's side in seconds, her Sharingan still fixed on the mutating Gaara. As she calmed, the Curse Mark receded, the black marking flowing off her body like a wave, and Naruto watched in awe. But the fascination was short lived when Gaara suddenly launched himself at Sasuke again. For a moment, it irked Akira that he'd always attack him and not her, but then it was erased from her mind when she realised that the Sharingan had barely registered the speed at which he was moving. The only thing she could do was launch herself between Sasuke and him, barely pulling out her Katana before Gaara had reached her. Oddly enough, upon reaching her, both the Demon's and Gaara's eyes widened. Instead of attacking, he once again retreated to a thick branch of a tree and clutched his head in his hands, screaming in pain.

"Get out of my way!" he yelled at Akira.

Why he refused to seriously harm her was beyond her. She thought for a moment. Maybe it had something to do with her calming Gaara down when he'd gone to the hospital to kill Lee. It was surprisingly easy enough to calm him down; she found that that wasn't normal. He was volatile and dangerous. How could a few words from someone he didn't know effectively calm him?

Her thoughts had distracted her. Shukaku had tossed her aside with the tail that he had grown from Gaara's gourd and held her against a tree. Akira's arms were stuck to her side, unable to be used for jutsu and manipulating the water in her own gourd. She was helpless. And all Naruto did, was stare in horror as Akira was coughing and gasping for air, the force of the impact knocking all of it out of her lungs.

"What's the matter, Naruto? You aren't running away?" Shukaku mocked.

"Naruto..."Akira said weakly. "Do not listen to him..."

"Shut up, you! You're not the boss of me anymore!"

Akira frowned. Anymore? She was never the boss of him in the first place? Not of Gaara or Shukaku. A slip of he tongue, maybe? Akira didn't dwell on it - she couldn't; Shukaku was talking about Sasuke, Sakura and herself to the panicked Naruto.

"What are these three to you!?"

"T-They're my friends," Naruto stuttered, suddenly frightened. But then he got angry. "Try laying so much as another finger on them! I'll clobber you!"

The tail that held Akira to the tree constricted, crushing the girl even more, making it harder to breathe. Akira barely flinched however. She'd felt worse. Gaara looked at Naruto expectantly.

"So... what's the matter?" Shukaku said slowly. "Weren't you going to clobber me? Then hurry up and come get me."

Naruto hesitated. Ultimately, he ended up cursing and charging at the possessed Gaara. He pulled out a single kunai as he towered over the boy who was clutching his face in pain again, but Shukaku wasn't distracted enough to forget about the boy coming at him from above. The large sand tail removed itself from Akira and flung down at Naruto without any effort at all. It returned to crush Akira, but she moved out of the way before it could touch her. She stood lazily beside Naruto, a little lightheaded. Naruto got up just as easily, however he didn't move to attack. He simply stared at Gaara instead.

"Why don't you attack? Don't you care what happens to your precious friends?"

Shukaku went to swing at Sasuke again. Akira's pupils dilated, the tomoe focusing like a camera, and the Sharingan allowed to see it before it happed. She pulled out her Katana and sliced the arm of sand, forcing it to retract. Red stared at seafoam green and bright yellow. Angry, the Demon went to lunge at her for the first time, but the girl concentrated her Chakra and swung out her arms, trapping the sand tail in water. Both Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened just as Sasuke's did, as they also bore witness to the girl's special ability. Naruto then put his hands together and performed a few hand signs which resembled a summoning jutsu. He then bit his thumb to draw blood and slammed his hand on the thick branch he and Akira were standing on. Unfortunately, Naruto only managed to summon a toad as big as a small dog who kept asking for treats. Akira ignored Sakura's yelling in the background and performed her own hand signs, reciting them in her head: Mi, Tora, Inu, U, Tatsu. She rose one of her sleeves to reveal an odd tattoo and bit her thumb, spreading a straight line of blood over the tattoo.

"Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!"

A large puff of smoke obscured everyone's view temporarily. Akira could feel something shifting underneath her feet and she was suddenly lifted in the air, passing the cloud of smoke that had been created. She stoop atop The Great White Serpent's, Shiro's, head and she looked down at everyone from high up. If Shiro had been on the ground, he could still reach the height at which they were. Just then, sand began to creep all over Gaara's body, covering his entire face and torso. With each passing second Shukaku was mutating and taking over more and more of Gaara's body. Now he had two full and spiked arms as well as a tail, and his head and torso were covered with hardened sand. Akira could no longer feel any Gaara inside that creature. Her gaze hardened.

"Shiro."


	38. Copy-Cat Chidori

Akira didn't need to say more than his name for Shiro to understand the situation they were in. Shiro hissed at the creature before them, still mutating Gaara's body like an incurable disease. That incurable disease lunged at Naruto, but he dodged in time, grabbing the toad and rolling down the branch he was standing on. Akira cursed under her breath, but she wasn't worried - just annoyed. Naruto, unless he used the power of the Demon-Fox, was useless here. Sakura was kneeling over Sasuke, completely out of order because of her fear. Pakkun wasn't a fighting dog, he was a tracker. Sasuke was still mostly paralyzed and couldn't help his sister at all. Akira frowned. She was pretty much alone in this.

"Still thinking of a way to save your friends?" Shukaku asked, taunting Akira and Naruto. "Fools! Forget them! Think of only yourselves! Love only yourselves! That's what it means to be the strongest." Shukaku laughed evilly. "What's the matter, Naruto? You were so cocky before. Show me your strength. Let me grind it into dust before your eyes. Attack, you cowards!"

"Akira-sama," Shiro said in a low voice, "I must agree... in a way. Why do you not attack?"

"Because he expects it. Never do what the enemy expects," Akira said absent-minded. She was analyzing the scene, making sure Naruto wasn't doing anything- "Stupid."

Naruto was charging at Gaara again, multiplying himself with his Shadow-Clone Jutsu in an attempt to distract and confuse the demon. Every single one of them attacked the mutated Gaara. All of a sudden, multiple teethed mouths sprouted from Shukaku's body and he yelled, "Wind Style: Sand Storm Devastation." All of a sudden, a sand blast came from those mouths and hit all the Naruto clones, destroying them in one swoop. The sand blast even hit Akira, who held onto Shiro so that she didn't fall over.

"I think I'll toy with you for a while," Shukaku cackled. "Watch you abandon your friends. Watch you surrender and beg for mercy when you die."

Akira's hands balled into fists.

"Me, surrender?" the girl said, her jaw clenched. "Surrender!?" Akira glanced to the side, as if remembering something, then turned back to Shukaku. "I swear on my mother's life, today on this tree, with you as my witness, that I will become the strongest kunoichi I can be.

"I will not become arrogant; I will remain modest and humble, without showing weakness. I will not become isolated; I will remain open and I will cherish my friends and all the people of Konoha for the rest of my life. I do not care how many people look up to me, or look down upon me. I do not care how many wish they were me, or wish that I were gone. I do not care how many wish they had my power, or wish I had none. I will not let anything sway me from my path. My purpose is straight and true: I will become the greatest kunoichi I can be, and I will protect this village and all my friends with all that I have, even at the cost of my life. There will be balance, and there will be peace... As the future head of the Konoha Military Police Force, I will be one of many noble and brave shinobi to bring that balance and peace to this village. And I will not allow you, Shukaku, Demon of the Sand, to stop me from reaching my goal!

"Naruto!" Akira continued loudly, practically screaming at the boy. "We're finishing this now! Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Suddenly, hundreds of copies of Akira showed up around Shiro, Naruto and Gaara. Luckily, Naruto did the same, and she hoped that he knew what she was doing. Naruto, Akira and their clones all took out kunai and wrapped a paperbomb around it. All the Naruto's launched themselves at Shukaku at the same time Shiro launched Akira towards the demon as well. Her clones followed. Shukaku was surounded, didn't know where to look. He sent sand blasts towards as many clones as he could but he didn't hit the real ones behind the jutsu. At the same time, Akira and Naruto plunged their kunai into Shukaku. Shiro extended his tail and retrieved Akira before the bombs detonated, and Naruto jumped back to his original spot. A large bomb resonated throughout the forest and a large cloud of smoke rose from the area Shukaku was in. Akira watched nervously.

"All that work for just one blow?" Akira heard Sasuke say. He was sitting now.

"Shut up, Sasuke. I do not see you doing anything."

"The sand absorbed the attack, Gaara isn't wounded! There was no point-"

"That was the point!" Akira shouted. "To hurt the demon, but not Gaara! The demon was put into him when he wasn't even born - it's not his fault he was raised this way! We need... I want to save him, to teach him the right thing to do. But I cannot do that if he is dead!

"Naruto!" Akira called for the second time. "I need you to take Sasuke out of here and protect him as if it's the last thing you'll ever do. Take Sakura and Pakkun with you. I can hold him back a little longer. I lost everything once. I will not let it happen again. I will not allow my comrades to die," Akira said, recalling what he'd said to her when they were facing Zabuza all those months ago.

"I get it now," Naruto said, fascination and understanding in his eyes. "Of course. He's exactly like me. Going through life with the exact same sadness and loneliness that I had to carry. He fought only for himself, relying on no one else. Because of that I thought he was strong. I really did."

"Naruto..." Sasuke murmured.

"I guess I should have known better. That's not what real strength is. If you fight for just yourself, you'll never be strong no matter what you do," Naruto continued, staring into the distance.

All of a sudden, Naruto put his hands together in a seal and a massive amount of bright blue Chakra surrounded him like a ball of pure energy. Moments later, thousands of copies of Naruto surrounded everyone, more than he and Akira had put out combined.

"Akira, why don't you take it easy for a while. You deserve it," Naruto said, smiling back at her.

"No, Naruto, you'll just make him angry!"

But it was too late. Naruto and his thousand clones had launched themselves at Shukaku, yelling. They all clobbered him, throwing the demon into the ground far below them. He laid there inert for a moment. Naruto relished the moment, but it was gone soon. Shukaku roared. It was a deafening sound. And his body grew exponentially, sand flying in every direction. Akira's eyes grew wide. The fear traveled in her veins but never made it to her facial muscles or skin. Her complexion remained pale and matt, her midnight blue eyes steady. Gaara was gone. Shukaku had fully emerged, as big as a building that climbed beyond treetops. All of a sudden, sand began to fly in every direction. It flew towards Akira and Naruto in particular, attempting to bury them in it. Akira breath hitched in her throat; it was Gaara's signature move: Sand Burial. The sand began swirling around Akira and she tried to back away or slash at the sand, but in her panic she could do nothing.

"Shiro!" she yelled.

The giant white serpent was immediately by her side, and he shielded her with his body, twisting it around her like a cocoon instead of the sand. Akira closed her eyes and breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, trying to stunt the panic rising within herself. Suddenly she was calm, an imaginary hand placed on her head to soothe her. Itachi used to do that... then Kakashi-sensei after him. Kakashi-sensei... She was suppose to protect Sasuke, not drag him into this mess. She'd let her sensei down. In more ways than one. Kakashi was her team leader, the first person to legitimately believe in her abilities, and yet... And yet she went off to study under a man of questionable reputation, a man whom she suspected to be someone far more dangerous than she'd care to admit to herself. The things she'd learned...

Akira shook her head. She needed to focus. Soon the feeling of Kakashi's hand on her head returned and so did her calm, little by little, like waves creeping up onto the shore. Akira took a deep breath. She took another, ignoring the loud crashing noises and shouting happening outside. Her eyes opened, the Sharingan revealed, with the power of the Curse Mark gently flowing through her as were the markings over her pale skin. Slowly, she began performing hand signs, muttering their names as she went.

"Saru, Tatsu, Ne, Tori, Ushi, Mi, Inu, Tora, Saru."

Suddenly, the cocoon in which Akira was began to glow blue and the sound of a thousand birds began to echo in the surrounding area. Shiro removed himself from her field of vision, and soon the red of the Sharingan was met with the giant king toad Gamabunta fighting off Shukaku. Shiro lower his head to the ground, creating a long pathway down for Akira to gain speed. The Chidori Sasuke had gone lengths to learn was chirping in her right hand, so powerful that it peeled a bit of Akira's skin off, not that she felt that sort of pain anymore.

"You may leave after this, Shiro. I thank you for your service."

As the serpent nodded, Gamabunta transformed into the nightmare that had once plagued the Leaf Village. Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox was there now. Akira suspected that Naruto needed claws to keep a hold on Shukaku. But to what end? Akira looked closer and her pupils dilated at the sight of Gaara poking out of Shukaku's head, completely vulnerable to any attack. This was her chance. She would seriously wound Gaara, maybe kill him, but that was what was necessary to save everyone.

With a war cry, Akira burst into a run, giving herself extra speed by a bit of chakra into her feet. Pure white Chakra spiralled around her body, trailing behind her like gown's train. She ran down Shiro's body, hair violently flicking back, all the hair ties holding it together slipping out. Her hair was wild, her eyes were focused, and the blue Chidori gleamed in the green surroundings. Sasuke and Sakura watched her fly by in complete awe at both her and Naruto. Then Naruto ran up Shukaku's head from Gamabunta's fox head and punched Gaara so hard in the face that Shukaku stopped moving for a moment. It was now or never. While Gaara was busy yelling at Naruto, Akira came up from his right side. He head turned at the last second, the final thing he saw being red eyes behind a flash of blue. Akira's hand pierced Gaara's shoulder, her hand slicing cleanly through his flesh. All of a sudden, Shukaku crumbled into dust, every inch of him falling to the ground. Akira and Gaara were falling to. With the last bit of energy she could muster, Akira pulled Gaara close to her, prepared to absorb the impact of the fall. But the bone shattering impact never came. Instead, Akira and Gaara landed safely on Gamabunta's cushioned tongue and he lowered them and Naruto to the ground.

Akira lay there, Gaara still wrapped up in her arms. She blinked and the Sharingan was gone. She took a few deep breaths and the black flame-like marking receded, as well as the spiralling white Chakra. Her hand was burned, her skin was peeling and all her body was bruised and cut up, but Akira felt nothing of it. She turned to look at Gaara. He was safe. Alive. And then everything went black.


	39. Itachi Uchiha

Akira awoke to soft sheets and light trickling in through the curtains in front of the window. They were swaying gently, a light breeze coming through the open windows. Shedding herself of the remaining glimpses of a dream, Akira's eyes were still shut as she soaked in the warmth of her blankets before letting her midnight blue eyes see the sun's rays, as well as the people who were surrounding her. Though the sight of her friends should have calmed her, her heart pounded, mind empty. It was as if a hypodermic needle full of adrenaline had been emptied into Akira's body. She sat up abruptly and became lightheaded, the room spinning as much as her head. Thoughts began accelerating through Akira's head. She wanted them to slow so that she could breathe, but everything that had happened during the past few hours or days, Akira didn't know, was rushing to the front of her mind. Had Shukaku gone for good? Where was Shikamaru? Was Sasuke safe? Would Kakahi be proud of her? What would happen with Maru-sama? Akira fell onto her back again, trying to make everything slow to something her brain could cope with. She felt so sick. Akira wanted to call for medical-nin, but she couldn't see anyone the room was moving so fast. Where was he? Where was everyone!?

"Akira!"

Everything suddenly focused. The room stopped spinning and everything came into focus. There was no need to call medical-nin, because she was in the hospital and her fit had summoned at least three of them. Akira looked around. Sasuke was there, she could see him lying on a bed opposite hers on the other side of the room. At the far right, Naruto and Sakura were there, smiling down at her. Then there was Kai, his golden eyes looking down on her with worry, but they brightened up the second she looked at him. Then there was Hinata was by his side, holding a basket of confections Akira suspected she'd made herself. With another glance further to the left, Akira jumped out of her spot.

"Shikamaru! Kiba!"

"Hey, watch it! You're hurt you idiot!" the boys complained.

"I thought you were gone, Shikamaru!" Akira exclaimed, ignoring the boy's protests. She clung onto him as hard as she could. "I didn't see you when Naruto, Sakura and Pakkun arrived - I thought the worst! And Kiba! Last time I saw you you were - you were... I don't even remember when I last saw you!"

"Calm down, woman!" Kiba chuckled. "Both of us are fine."

"And Kai!" Akira shouted, suddenly snapping her neck towards him, sending the boy a death glare. "You weren't watching the matches! Where were you!?"

"Uh, well, see... I was, uh-"

"KAI MANZO!"

"Mom asked me to babysit Katsuo! She smacked me with a spoon until I accepted! Don't hurt me!" Kai said waving his hands in a panic.

"Oh, well why didn't you say so?" Akira said calmly, turning back to Kiba and Shikamaru. She blinked a few times. "Wait... Where's Gaara?"

"Gaara?" Shikamaru asked. "What the hell are asking about him for?"

"You guys didn't tell them what happened?" Akira asked, looking over to Naruto and Sakura. They shook their heads and Akira filled them in on the details. "... I didn't intend to take that fall for nothing. Where is he? I'd like to see him."

"He's gone, Akira..." Naruto said meekly, almost disappointed.

"His brother and sister came to get him the second you all touched the ground," Sasuke added from across the room. "I let them go."

"Oh..."

Her shoulders slumped and her eyes cast themselves down in an almost mournful gaze. Akira should have been angry; going to all that trouble of making sure Gaara was safe from Shukaku for good, and what did his siblings repay her with? Nothing. They took Gaara away. Instead of anger, all Akira could feel the weight of disappointment. She wanted to see how he was doing, to see what he was like without the fear of Shukaku taking over looming over him. Akira's only wish now, was that Temari and Kankuro would take care of him well.

''Hey, what matters is that he's fine,'' Shikamaru said almost softly, as if he was trying to force himself to be nice for once. ''I'm sure we'll see him again.''

''Under better circumstances, I hope,'' Akira sighed. She took a quick deep breath and stood, causing her friends to panic a little. ''Well, it is time that I get out of here.''

''But you literally just freaked out!'' Kiba protested.

''I'm fine!'' Akira said, waving her hands dismissively. She gathered up her clothes and went into the adjacent bathroom, reemerging fully clothed. ''I was only worried and disoriented. Not injured.''

"And where do you think you're going?" A medical-nin was looming over her, blocking her way. "We didn't give you the all clear, yet."

"Will you please give it to me? It is not that I require it, it is more that I will leave without it or not and I wouldn't like for you to get into trouble for letting me go."

The medical ninja attempted to grab Akira and put her back in her spot, but the girl evaded easily and waltzed out of the hospital room, humming a soft tune. Her friends followed suit, except for Sasuke who left a little while later on his own. Eventually, Naruto and Sakura split off in their own direction, probably splitting up as well since Naruto and Sakura never spent any time alone together. Kai, Kiba, Shikamaru and Akira decided to go into town and have some food, since apparently Akira had been out cold for an entire day, missing the Third Hokage's funeral. It was a tragic loss, for sure, and a village without a Hokage would be dangerous, especially since known allies were the culprit. Except for Orochimaru. On the way to the restaurant, Kiba, Kai and Shikamaru explained that Orochimaru was the one behind all of it, or at least they suspected it since three giant serpents had attacked the village on the west side. Akira gulped, thinking.

The village was being rebuilt. A few dozen people were walking around, carrying building supplies and bringing them to homes and shops that needed repairing. The sounds of birds, shopkeepers and the scents of food now mingled with the swinging of hammers and the smell of cut lumber. The town had just gone through disaster and yet everyone was smiling and helping each other out. Akira smiled, but her eyes narrowed. There was a dog running towards her, a scroll in his mouth.

"You're getting messages from dogs now?" Kiba asked. "Why don't you bring me messages, Akamaru?"

The puppy barked signaling his disapproval.

"It is a ninken, you idiot. Kakashi-sensei's by the look of it." Akira stated, bending down to retrieve the scroll. "Thank you."

The dog barked happily and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Akira untied the ribbon and unfurled the scroll. Her eyes scanned the message inside before she burned it, leaving the ashes to fall on the ground.

"I have to go. Kakashi-sensei has requested my presence," Akira said simply. "If I am done with what he will ask of me within the hour, I will join you."

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed. "Couldn't your sensei have waited until after lunch?"

"I swear you sound like Choji right now," Kai laughed.

Akira turned on her heels and jumped up into a nearby tree then a rooftop, using them as a path to reach the designated location. She jumped down in front of a small tea shop and walked up to the man standing there. Kakashi-sensei was talking to Asuma and Kurenai-sensei, his mask still hiding everything but that one lazy grey eye. Sasuke was approaching him too and Akira frowned. Something was up.

"Kakashi. It's not like you to show up early," Sasuke remarked.

"It is out of the ordinary, yes," Akira agreed.

"Well, sometimes I do," Kakashi-sensei said in his usual oddly airy and apathetic tone of voice.

All of a sudden Akira felt someone walk past her and she turned to watch them leave. She felt odd. Not as if someone was watching her, but as if she was the one imposing on their activities. She couldn't look away. Something was drawing her eye to this person. It was Sasuke that dragged her out of the trance.

"Lets go eat somewhere else. I don't have much of a sweet tooth," he said, and Akira finally took the time to look where they were.

"Itachi had a sweet tooth..." Akira murmured, thinking back to numerous occasions where her brother had taken her here after training.

She looked back at the spot where the person walked, but they weren't there. Maybe it was just an odd derivative of nostalgia fueling her curiosity.

"Is that so?" Kakashi said, sounding more suspicious than he probably wanted to let on.

He nodded at Asuma and Kurenai and they were gone within the instant. Akira looked back at the spot they once were and frowned. Something was definitely up. Kakashi-sensei looked between Akira and Sasuke then sighed.

"I don't have to wish for him home anymore, do I, sensei?" Akira breathed, her voice almost shaky.

Kakashi-sensei shook his head once and she knew. Akira relaxed her body by taking a few deep breaths and calmed her mind, wiping her face of any discernible emotion. It was like a snap of the fingers. One moment she seemed scared, nervous, the next - if looks could kill... Sasuke was angry, all his hate built up inside him because of their brother. He was finally back, and it was time to release that anger. Akira looked at him with a blank expression, though she was concerned. Sasuke shouldn't approach a calm, calculated mind with anger and impulsiveness. If Maru-sama had taught her anything useful, it was that. To approach calculations with erratic impulse was death waiting to happen. Your own death.

"I suspect he is looking for the both of you. For what I don't know. But he'll find you," Kakashi-sensei said plainly. "Don't go off of your-"

Sasuke didn't wait for Kakashi-sensei to finish his sentence. Within the blink of an eye he was gone.

"... own," Kakashi sighed.

"Do you wish for me to find him?" Akira asked.

Kakashi looked up at the sky. Tense silence filled the air. Maybe it was just her, but Akira felt as if he was glaring at her, mad at her. He knew what she'd done. Who she'd been dealing with.

"Just make sure your brother doesn't get his hands on him."

"I always looked up to him, Itachi, wished he'd teach me more of what he knew... You realise he is much stronger than I am?"

"You know better than I do that Itachi wouldn't hurt you or Sasuke," Kakashi-sensei stated, looking at his student. She wasn't looking at him, instead looking out at nothing in particular. "Akira?"

"If anything happens, notify me, Sensei, or have someone notify me."

"I'll keep you updated, don't worry."

"Also... I am sorry," the girl whispered.

"For what, exactly?"

"You know what, Sensei."

Without any further explanation Akira jumped up into the trees and ran on the rooftops. She stopped at one of the highest points in the city to think. Where would Sasuke go? Without a second's hesitation, Akira ran off towards the east, to a place she hadn't been in for a long time. She found Sasuke in the memorial room in the Uchiha compound they used to live in. It was dark and Akira found herself smelling the stench of death once again. The only light came from the lit torches in front of the memorial stone. Sasuke was standing before it, shaking with anger, his Sharingan awoken.

"I wasn't able to do anything..."

"Sasuke..."

"Don't 'Sasuke' me, Akira!" the boy shouted, turning to face his sister. "Naruto just gets stronger and stronger. You just get stronger and stronger, training with this secret guy that makes you summon snakes and control water! Compared to you two I'm-"

"You are Sasuke Uchiha. My brother. Heir to the great Uchiha clan which you will restore," Akira said candidly. "Look, go out in the forest and punch some rocks. Practise your Chidori."

"Which you copied-"

"For the benefit of everyone, need I remind you. Besides, I am the lightning. You are the fire. Keep it ignited, Sasuke. Do not let it die down."

Sasuke nodded and left calmly, mos likely heading to the forest to train, something he did everyday, all day. Akira sighed and looked at the stone beside her. All the names of everyone who had been killed on this compound was there, with Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha at the top. Akira sighed and got down on her knees. She paused and winced halfway down, then continued until both her knees touched the cold wooden floor. She lit a branch of incense and waved it twice before the shrine before lowering her head.

"Many lives have ended, with the passing of friends and family, the memories of times, have come to an end, their threads wove the fabric of an earlier day. A life has ended, with the passing of a father, sunrises and sunsets, bright days and dark nights circled again and again, and gave context to this life, moment after moment, their life was lived each day. A life has ended, with the passing of a mother, lives have been touched by the dear one's journey, laughter, tears, hopes, fears, a life has come to an end memories hold their spirit alive, in my own life. Many lives have ended, with the passing of friends and family, the loss of future moments, that will not be, grateful for moments shared, that nourished me, moments lived, in casual belief, they would never end. A part of me has ended, with their passing, be they gone from the earthly plane, their spirit soars, to renew again, in summerland, heaven or another life, I know not where, but their love remains with me, for in this life, we friends and family, did share. I miss you all, but you will always be near, inside of me, inside you, and all who took time to hear, the music of this life so dear, a life now silent, living only in the memory, of those who survive."


	40. Over My Dead Body

With each stride Akira's mind became more clear, more resolute, as if the growing physical distance between the memorial stone had now become an emotional chasm. As the midday sunlight caressed her skin, promising a new day, a new beginning, she entombed her memories of them... of Maru-sama, in thick walled ice. Then, abruptly pausing to close her eyes and take in a deep breath of warm air, she steeled herself to only think of her future from here on in. A future she would mould, build, direct. Then with each stride after that Akira felt more in charge, in command of her own mind, body and soul. She was a girl walking into her own destiny, a destiny that lay squarely in her own hands, a destiny that lead her to the home of Kakashi-sensei.

He hadn't notified her of anything, but she was sure that there was something going on with Itachi in this town. She didn't know why he was here, and she didn't much care to find out. If he was sneaking around old sweets shops, what he was up to was definitely not confessing to his crimes and answering for them. Akira decided that Kakashi-sensei had answers. In any other occasion, she'd ask Maru-sama, but she was on the straight and narrow path now. No more back-handed lessons or barely legal jutsu.

She walked up the stairs to his room upon entering the building, not much caring if he heard her coming or not. However, as she opened the door, she found her sensei lying on his bed, out cold, with Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yūhi. The girl raised an eyebrow.

"Must I draw my own conclusions or will one of you Jōnin explain yourselves," Akira said sternly, looking to each and every one of them. "I know my brother is here. Question is, what for?"

It seemed as though everyone in the room paled significantly, except for Kakashi-sensei who couldn't see or hear anything since he was asleep. No one was saying anything. She studied Might Guy's face.

"If he was here for me or Sasuke, he'd have us by now and there would be nothing you could do to stop him... Then it must be something else."

"It's nothing really," Guy said, nervous. "Nothing that you should concern yourself with."

"Because you are saying that, Guy-sensei, it can only mean that it is something I must concern myself with."

"What the hell is going on here?"

Sasuke had suddenly entered the room, looking at each of the ninja with a questioning look. Akira cursed under her breath. Things got worse however when a random ninja came rushing in, yelling about Itachi coming here to get Naruto. Different ideas ran through the twins' minds at that very instant. While Sasuke's mind was focused on him thinking Itachi assumed Naruto was stronger, while Akira's mind could only think of one thing.

"The Nine-Tailed Fox..."

"What! How did you-"

"Kakashi-sensei and I have seen glimpses of its power on a few occasions," Akira interrupted Kurenai. "Think about it." Akira jumped up on the window sill over Kakashi-sensei's bed and looked down at him, then glared at the three Jōnin. "Take care of him, or else."

Without delay, Akira jumped out the window and made her way down to the ground with graceful moves. Upon landing on the ground, Akira concentrated Chakra into her hand and closed her eyes. She placed said hand onto the ground and immediately, the girl separated herself from her body. Everything was black except for everyone's Chakra networks. Akira concentrated some more to extend the reach of her sensory abilities to the entire city. It came with great strain as this was the first time she'd extended her reach this much. It was of no use. Naruto wasn't in the village any longer. With incredible speed, Akira wove through the streets of Konohagakure, leaving fascinated people in her wake. When she'd reached the village's end, she felt the ground again, this time sensing Naruto's Chakra signature a fair distance away.

Akira calmed herself, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths before charging as fast as she could towards Naruto. She didn't wonder why he was so far because she didn't care. All Akira cared about was reaching Naruto before Itachi did. And so she ran, she ran like death was chasing her until she reached the outpost town a ways out of Konoha. Upon entering, she didn't notice all the different smells coming from the food carts, or the perfumes women were selling. She didn't notice the beggars and the thieves or the performing dancers and musicians on street corners. Instead, Akira turned some heads by placing her hand to the ground again and feeling for Naruto's Chakra once again. Then the girl burst into a run again, weaving through people. Akira suddenly came to a stop when she saw Master Jiraya... without Naruto. Within seconds she'd pulled him away from the girl he was with and held him at arm's length.

"Where is Naruto!?" she exclaimed, nearly frantic.

"Hey, you're that Uchiha girl! Naruto's friend!" Jiraya said happily.

"Yes, and Naruto's friend will attempt to hurt one of the Legendary Sannin if he does not tell me where he left Naruto!"

"Well, I left him at our hotel room."

"Which hotel!?"

"The Travelling Companion. Why?"

Akira broke into a sprint, ignoring the Sannin's protests behind her. Her feet glided over the dirt streets as she ran to the hotel the Sannin had named. At the front desk, she didn't even bother to ask the clerk for the room number, she simply took his ledger and examined it herself. She recognised Naruto's handwriting immediately. Akira then bolted up the stairs and headed to the right room, knocking on it furiously. Moments later, Naruto, unharmed, opened the door.

"You are safe!" Akira exclaimed, relief washing over her as she tackled Naruto in a bone crushing hug.

"Um, yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Naruto asked, wringing himself from her grip.

"My brother is back," the girl continued, locking the door again. "He wants the Nine-Tailed Fox."

"But that's- that's..."

"You, I know. That is why we must leave and find Master Jiraya."

"Pervy Sage? What does he have to do with this?" Naruto said in a huff, sitting on the bed and crossing his arms. "He won't even teach me any jutsu. Maybe he doesn't even know any!"

"Naruto, this is serious. Master Jiraya is one of the three Legendary Sannin. If he is there, Itachi will not want any sort of confrontation," Akira said, getting annoyed. "He is extremely powerful!"

"Oh, yeah? How do you know?"

"Because I have unknowingly trained with another."

Naruto looked up at Akira, his eyes wide with confusion and a tinge of fascination.

"The secret teacher you won't tell anyone about?"

"Yes. Yes, the secret teacher, Naruto. The point is that they are powerful, and Itachi wouldn't want to mess with them."

"Well who is it?"

"Naruto... I cannot. I am ashamed of myself. I ignored things that screamed out at me, I tried to ignore who he really was. I cannot disgrace myself further by speaking his name," Akira said softly, sitting beside Naruto.

"You hang out with me. People would call that disgraceful," Naruto said simply.

Akira looked over at her blonde headed friend.

"It is not the same, Naruto. You are not... Your name is not Orochimaru."

"W-What?"

"I knew him as the Jōnin supervising the Sound Village for the exams," Akira began. "And while the Sound Ninja were... sketchy at best, I didn't think he was that bad. Intimidating, yes, but not innately bad. And when have you ever known be to back away from someone intimidating? He was charming, if anything. Not in a romantic way, of course. He simply had something about him that intrigued me, that kept me tied to him. I sought him out whenever I could because I wanted to train, yes, but because I wanted to know more about him as well. In a way, he was mesmerizing.

"That was until he mentioned the Curse Mark on my neck... and taught me how to use it. I think I knew then who he was then, but I ignored it. I needed the power to get stronger and I told myself that if it turned out to harm me more than anything else, I would leave all of it. However, I got better. The pain of it left. I was able to control my Chakra better, use more of it, unlock the final level of my Sharingan... And then he taught me to summon snakes. That was the last I saw of him. I could not deny who he was anymore."

"Does anyone else know?" Naruto asked after a beat.

"Kakashi-sensei says he does not, but the man knows more than he tells us."

She had made her big declaration, the grand speech Akira had been unknowingly rehearsing in the back of her mind for weeks and now the silence lay on her skin like a poison. It seeped into her blood and paralyzed her brain, her pupils became dilated and there was a tremor in her hands. But Naruto's face wasn't one of awkwardness, anger or disappointment. It was peaceful, as usual, carefree. Maybe he was judging her in his head, behind those huge blue eyes, but he didn't say it. That made all the difference. And it was for reasons like this that Akira admired Naruto.

Suddenly there came a knock at the door. Naruto barely had the time to glance at it before Akira was up with her swords out. Her breath hitched in her throat. Retreat would be a disaster at this point, a show of weakness, an opportunity for Itachi to surge through the door and hit them from behind. She couldn't breath, it felt as if someone was choking her. Her heart was racing and all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and wait for someone to save her. But no one would, no one was there. Just Naruto. And she knew she wouldn't be able to do much against Itachi. However, as usual, nothing in her face betrayed her fear, it was a mask of defiance and surety, that's why Naruto listened to her and mimicked her moves, taking out kunai, ready for an attack.

Slowly, the door opened and Akira was met with red, six tomoe staring right back at her. The girl blinked, matching the six tomoe that were looking at her. His pupils narrowed, taking notice of the girl's fully developed Sharingan. He stepped into the room and Akira's jaw clenched, the only sign of fear she cared to show. But at the sight of him, she nearly broke. Had he always been this tall? Probably. And he still had his hair tied the same way he used to, and his nails were still painted purple. But his kind smile was gone and the softness in his eyes as well. This wasn't he man she knew. This wasn't the brother she so desperately wanted back home.

"Itachi..."

"Heh, hard to believe that such a child carries the Nine-Tailed Fox," another voice said. A taller man, taller than Kakashi-sensei, emerged from beside the door. Akira recognised him from posters around town and in the Hokage's office; it was Kisame Hoshigaki, one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist. "Wait, who's the little angry lookin' one?"

"It's been a long time, Akira," Itachi said casually, as if nothing was wrong.

"Oh, it's the little sister!" Kisame said with a chuckle. "I almost forgot you had a little sister, Itachi."

"That's your brother!?" Naruto shouted, now even more terrified that he now knew the man standing before him wiped out the entire Uchiha clan.

"Naruto," Itachi said, looking over his sister to the boy standing behind her, "you're coming with us."

"You know that I cannot let that happen, Itachi." Akira gripped her swords tighter.

"Akira," Itachi said, taking a step forward. The girl pointed a sword at his throat. "I don't want to fight you."

"Neither do I, brother. So stand down."

Itachi sighed and took a step foward, extending his arm towards her. Naruto told her to be careful, but Akira knew what he was doing. She didn't move her sword, so the tip of the blade touched his neck as he poked his sister's forehead with his forefinger. He attempted to take step further, but Akira wasn't easily fooled.

"I cannot let you get any closer, Itachi," she forced herself to say. "Until you come home and answer for your crimes, you are my enemy."

"Why don't we go for a walk?" Itachi said calmly.

He stepped aside and Akira stared at him, narrowing her eyes. Naruto was scared. So scared in fact that he obeyed Itachi and went out into the hallway. Akira looked around. She was in a hotel, there were people staying in these rooms. She sighed. There was no point in fighting here. It would only cause unnecessary casualties. So, Akira went along with it too.

"Hey, Itachi, it'll be a pain in the neck if these kids make a run for it," Kisame said. "Maybe I ought to chop off a leg just in case." Akira's sword was suddenly at Kisame's throat. "Testy, testy."

"You lay even a finger on him and you will wish you had never been born, Kisame Hoshigaki."

"Kid, I doubt you've even ever killed someone with those swords."

"I have. I've also caused irreparable damage to someone's arms. Though, I cannot say that I have experienced the pleasure of torture. Would like to help me test it?" Akira said innocently. Kisame glared at her. "Shame."

"I can see why she's your sister, Itachi," Kisame said. "Itachi?"

"Sasuke."

Akira didn't dare turn her head away from Kisame. Besides, she could feel Sasuke just as Itachi did. He was behind her, incredibly angry.

"Itachi Uchiha," Sasuke said simply, venom laced in his words.

"Well, well, another Sharingan. They both look like you - it's like I'm seeing triple," Kisame said, smiling evilly. "Though, it's a funny thing. See, here there are two other Uchiha. I thought that the entire clan was wiped out entirely... by you."

"Itachi Uchiha, prepare to die."

Itachi finally glanced behind him at at Sasuke.

"It's like you said, brother. I've fostered my hatred for you all this time. I've lived my life for one single purpose." Sasuke's hand began glowing bright blue, and the familiar chirping of the Chidori filled the room. "To see you die! It ends here!"

"Sasuke, no!" Akira shouted, finally retracting her sword from Kisame.

She'd seen her entire clan, dead. She'd seen Haku die by her hand. She'd seen dozens of ninja, lying dead after Orochimaru attacked. Akira wasn't about to witness her brothers wipe each other out. They were all she had left other than her friends, her only family. Sasuke dashed towards his brother, eyes crazed and full of intent to kill. She couldn't stop the Chidori, not unless she cut off Sasuke's hand. She might have a fully developed Sharingan, but she hadn't trained it hard enough to prevent this. All she could do, was back up between Kisame and Itachi to stand in front of Naruto. Akira put away her Katana and put her hands together to concentrated an enormous amount of Chakra. If either Itachi or Kisame stopped Sasuke's Chidori, then she would disregard this building and attack. She had to protect Naruto no matter what.

Akira's eyes widened and her pupils contracted. They stung because of how much she was concentrating. The Sharingan had seen it all. Sasuke's hand reached Itachi, but Itachi had slammed his own hand down on Sasuke's, stopping his Chidori from piercing him. Akira heard Naruto gasp behind her and she began building up more Chakra as Itachi held Sasuke in place. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, intentionally willing the power of the Curse Mark to surge through her. Her arm reached out to push Naruto out of the way, and she took out a sword and stopped Kisame's from getting too close to her. With immense power, Akira pushed it away and stepped back beside Naruto, pulling an injured Sasuke with her. Pure white Chakra began swirling around Akira as the black flame-like markings drew themselves across her body. Power surged through every limb.

"I told you, Itachi!" Akira shouted, nearly out of her mind. She was barely in control of her power. "You want, Naruto? Over my dead body!"


	41. Animalistic State

_"Over my dead body!"_

Akira meant it. No one was going to hurt Sasuke or Akira while she was alive. Itachi and Kisame knew she was telling the truth too. The black markings all over her body, they didn't recognise them, but they could that it wasn't anything good. The surge of white Chakra, which was gone now, could still be felt, causing Kisame's Chakra-devouring sword to quiver. If Akira had been in her right mind completely, she'd have noticed the momentary glimmer of concern in Itachi's eyes, but she didn't, mind as blank with power as it could be.

However, out of nowhere, a toad popped up in a puff of smoke in front of Akira. The girl smiled. In another puff of smoke, Master Jiraya landed behind her, the girl he was with earlier, unconscious and draped over his shoulder. He looked down at her for a moment, eyes visibly expressing worry, then back at Itachi and Kisame.

"You two don't know me at all, do you? Should have done your homework. Jiraya the Toad Sage falls victim to no woman's charm," he said. "Rare beauty is dropped for me like blossoms in a storm. It isn't in my nature to be duped by the wiles of women. When you reach the stature I have, ladies kneel and worship at your awesomeness."

"Master Jiraya?" Akira said, deadpan. He looked at her. "You are an idiot and you are late."

"Hey!"

"One wink from that woman and you were a pile of mush! You fell for it like a tonne of bricks, Pervy Sage!" Naruto yelled at the Sannin. "You're only here because Akira ran in freaking out!"

"I really wish you wouldn't call me that in front of other people," Jiraya said, chuckling nervously.

"There are worse things to worry about, Master Jiraya. I sincerely doubt that my brother cares for what Naruto calls you," Akira said, matter-of-fact.

"Whatever name you go by, Master Jiraya, I must say, you're something of a disappointment," Kisame said, laughing. "A lecherous old man with the disposition of a child. It's almost impossible to believe that you are one of the Three Legendary Sannin."

"Don't be fooled by appearances, or uh, you know, anything this little squirt might say," Jiraya chuckled, patting Naruto's head. "I know Naruto's the one you're really after."

"That explains how Kakashi knew..." Itachi said almost absent-minded. "He learned it from you."

"You're the one who hurt my sensei!?" Akira bellowed, so immensely angry that she dropped her usual speech pattern.

"Akira, stand down," Jiraya said, placing a large hand on her head.

At the gesture, Akira calmed a little, but the thought of Itachi hurting Kakashi-sensei enraged her so much that it was difficult to contain her anger.

"You're right. Naruto is the prize that the Akatsuki are after," Itachi said. "And we will have him."

"There's no way you're getting Naruto, Itachi!" Akira shouted.

"We'll see about that."

"Actually, this is really convenient. I can eliminate the both of you at the same time," Jiraya contemplated. He looked at Akira. "I'm sure Akira would like to help too."

"Stay out of this," Sasuke said, rising from the ground with great difficulty. "The only person who's going to eliminate him, is me!"

"Go away," Itachi said, sounding bored. "You don't interest me at the moment."

"Well, get interested!"

Sasuke broke into a run, but Itachi kicked him back easily into the wall behind him. Sasuke rose and ran at him again, attempting to punch Itachi. The elder Uchiha deflected the punch and hit Sasuke in the jaw in return, drawing blood. Akira went to jump in and help, but Kisame held up his sword and pointed it at Akira. Jiraya pulled her back.

"You heard your brother. This fight isn't yours or mine. Let's let the two sort it out."

"Sasuke, Itachi, you idiots!"

Itachi was approaching Sasuke who was sitting on the ground, barely moving. He suddenly got up, trying to plant a kunai in his brother, but Itachi simply punched him in the chest, knocking on the air out of his lungs. Itachi picked him up by the collar at held him against the wall. Sasuke's face said it all and Akira screamed. She knew. It was only a split second, but she knew it lasted longer in Sasuke's mind. Days, weeks, maybe months. Itachi had done this to her and Sasuke when they'd discovered their dead parents.

"ITACHI! NO!"

"Akira, what's wrong!?" Naruto shouted, scared and confused.

"NOT TSUKUYOMI! ITACHI!"

"Isn't that heartwarming? Using Tsukuyomi on your own brother," Kisame said with a smile.

Sasuke and Akira screamed at the same time, but Akira's scream wasn't out of pain and suffering, it was all anger. All of a sudden, the white surge of power came back and the flame-like markings on Akira's body began to glow like actual fire. With a cry only worthy of the start of a war, Akira dashed forward, performing hand seals as she went. Within seconds, her arms were lit up with yellow electricity. She couldn't feel the burning at all. Yellow arms waved around smoothly in contrast to the rest of her behavior, and a stream of water wrapped itself around her arm alongside the lightning.

"HOW DARE YOU!?"

Akira launched her arms forward. Itachi turned around and went to stop her arms, but he realised that he couldn't because his sister's arms would injure him. Instead, he planted his palm on her chest to stop her. But Akira clawed at him and reached his shoulders, sending a shock so great Itachi was blown off his feet and into the wall. The girl's arms were bleeding, the electrical current rupturing her skin and capillaries.

"TO THINK THAT I WANTED YOU HOME!"

All of a sudden, the walls and floor began to turn squishy and pink. Akira withdrew from Itachi and dragged Sasuke back with her, growling like an animal at Kisame when she passed him.

"Ninja Art: Toad Mouth Trap," Jiraya said calmly, rising from the ground where he'd placed his jutsu. He glanced at Akira when she passed. She was gone. The Curse Mark had almost completely taken over to the point where the seal was being pushed towards its second level, something Jiraya knew wasn't a good thing. "You've both just been swallowed by the Mountain Toad. Welcome my friends, to the belly of the beast. He has a very sensitive digestive track, so be careful not to upset him."

"Not the most glorious way to die, is is?" Akira said, immensely irritated, sticking Sasuke into the sticky wall so that he wouldn't move again.

"Woah, I'm not liking this at all," Naruto said, looking around.

"Naruto, stay still. Just remain calm," Jiraya told him. "Trust in my jutsu."

"Kisame, come," Itachi muttered.

Kisame detached his feet from the floor, but his sword was stuck in the soft pink lining of the toad's digestive system. Eventually he pulled it loose and ran off with Itachi. Jiraya sent tendrils of flesh after them, but it didn't get them. Akira could sense it. All of a sudden, Naruto, Jiraya and herself heard a large bang, and the girl knew that Itachi was gone. There was one way he was going to get out of this and Itachi wouldn't be shy about using it. The three ninja ran in the same direction as the two Akatsuki and stopped at the giant hole in the intestine. Black flames surrounded the hole.

"The hell is that?" Naruto said, approaching the flames.

"Don't touch it!" Akira said, finally calming down. "Those flames will burn for seven days and seven nights, and nothing but the person who created them can put them out. Only way we can remove them is with a seal."

"It burned through the insides of the Stone Toad which spits fire itself," Jiraya said. "What kind of jutsu is this?"

"It's Amaterasu, a Mangekyō Sharingan dōjutsu."

Jiraya sealed the fire away with a scroll and stuffed it in his shirt. All of a sudden, someone came crashing in with a ridiculous cry and crash landed into Jiraya. It was Might Guy, failing at a dramatic entrance. Akira raised an eyebrow at Jiraya as he shouted at Guy-sensei as he shoved tissues in his nose to stop the bleeding.

"I guess I was a little overenthusiastic," he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "You see, I-I was trying to hurry and I couldn't see very clearly."

"If this is your way of apologizing, well it really sucks!" Master Jiraya shouted.

"I'm sorry, it was just a simple misunderstanding."

"Simple-minded's more like it."

"Never mind that," Akira said softly, completely contrasting her earlier state. She was exhausted, but she was trying to push through it. "We need to get Sasuke to the medical corps. Guy-sensei, Itachi beat him up, broke his arm and sent him in the Tsukuyomi."

"Tsukuyomi?"

"Genjutsu only available to those with the Mangekyō Sharingan," Akira said calmly, going to fetch Sasuke. " It traps the target within an illusion completely under the user's control. When you are skilled enough with it, like Itachi, Tsukuyomi allows you to alter the perception of time within the genjutsu. You can make a few seconds feel like days, weeks, months as a means to torture the target. This results in the victim suffering immense psychological trauma that can incapacitate them for a considerable amount of time."

"How do you know all of this?" Naruto asked. "You read in a book or something?"

"No. Itachi trapped Sasuke and I in it when we found our parents, lying dead on the ground of our living room. He made us relive the slaughter over and over again."

"Sasuke's gonna be all right, though, right Akira?" Naruto asked, a little panicked.

"Physically, yes. Psychologically... neither of us are okay. Sasuke less, than I. So far, I had been untainted by the hatred that Sasuke felt towards our brother. He took it upon himself to hate him, to defeat him. All Itachi ever did to us was equal, an equal share of suffering. But after this, the curse of hatred is upon me, as well."

"What did you two ever do to deserve this?" Naruto muttered to himself, shaking with anger. "All right, Pervy Sage, it's time for a new gameplan, starting right now. I admit, I let those goons scare me a little. But that's over. No more running. After all, it's me they're after, right? Well okay then, it's time that I give them what they want!"

"No. They're on an entirely different plane of existence, Naruto," Jiraya said. "It took me all I had to take them out. What if Akira and I weren't there? You'd be dead."

"This looks like the same jutsu Kakashi was hit with," Guy-sensei said as he looked at Sasuke.

"What did you say..."

Guy-sensei turned towards Akira, who was hanging her head low. Her voice had come out only as a whisper, but it was so powerful she could command an entire room in that voice. She repeated herself, a little louder this time, as well as a little more menacing. Her tone was dangerous, and Jiraya was worried she'd relapse back into that mindless, animalistic state. Guy-sensei still said nothing, a little scared. It only made her repeat herself louder, at a normal volume, though her voice was very commanding. Guy didn't repeat himself.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, DAMN IT!?" Akira yelled, punching the nearest wall.

Her knuckles split open, adding more blood and wounds to her hands. She clenched her fists and set her hands at her sides, attempting to calm down again. Akira pinched the bridge of her nose and dragged her hand down so it lay limp beside her. Half of her face was now smeared in blood. She didn't care. Akira bent down, exhausted, and gently picked up Sasuke, placing him over her shoulder for practicality. Seconds later, Akira was gone, steadily making her way back to Konoha. When she approached the gates, the two guards attempted to help her, but she tugged herself away from them. She walked through the streets of the village, blood on her arms and face, her brother over her shoulder, and the face of a woman who'd kill a man for breathing the wrong way. People avoided her as she walked past them, all the way to the hospital where she lay Sasuke on a bed herself. She called for the best medical-nin they could muster, refusing that they look at her as well. The way she looked, people cold have easily assumed she had also been placed under the influence of Tsukuyomi. She shoved a woman who tried to get her to sit down, spreading blood on her uniform, and made her way out of the hospital and back to the place where the day started.

She sat at Kakashi's bedside for hours, ignoring Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei who were still there when she arrived. They bombarded her with questions, but she ignored them. They left when she told them to, annoyed that wouldn't shut up. Akira stared at her sensei for a while. He was still wearing the mask over his mouth and nose, but his headband was on his side table, reflecting the sun onto the side of his face. It was odd seeing both of his eyes like this, closed with his eyelashes fluttering over his masked cheekbones. Akira was tempted to pull the mask down, find out what her sensei really looked like, but she couldn't muster enough energy to move. Instead, she just admired what she could see. He looked more peaceful like this than during the day. There wasn't a trace of his lazy demeanor anywhere. The blankets over his chest rose and fell rhythmically with his breathing, but the rest of him remained still as a rock. Soon, Akira's eyelids drooped, fatigue taking over her. She fell forward, her bloody face landing on her sensei's chest. His breathing lulled her to sleep.

Neither of them woke up for three days.


	42. Love What They Could Have Been

Akira tensed as she woke up to the sound of breathing that wasn't her own. It was heaving and rapid, as if a man had just run a marathon. Her head was in an awkward angle, slightly raised and tilted to the left, as if whatever she was sleeping on had risen at an angle. She was bent forward, sitting on a chair, which explained the pain in her back. Then, whatever her head was lying on lowered, and the breathing slowed, becoming more rhythmic. Akira relaxed her body, but her mind went fuzzy all of a sudden; the tension in her body was keeping her awake. Now that is was gone, Akira fluctuated between consciousness and unconsciousness.

"Look what he did to you..." she heard a soft voice say.

Akira wanted to say something, but all she muster was an incomprehensible whisper. She felt something shift underneath her head, and then she was sitting. Moments later, Akira was being carried off with what seemed a lot of difficulty. The person's arms were shaky and they walked slowly, with jagged movements. Because of this, the journey to the new destination was long, or at least it seemed so to Akira. The girl tried to open her eyes, but when she did, bright light flooded her eyes and she closed them immediately, in pain. The girl let out a whimper and tried to grab the person's arm, but when Akira tried to move her fingers, they didn't move. Instead, all she felt was searing pain throughout her arms.

"Calm down, Akira..." the voice hushed. She stifled a another whimper. "We're almost there..."

They were right. Soon, Akira was lying down on something soft. She heard something fall to her left and people rushing towards it. They were all muttering about someone, sounding concerned, vexed or a healthy mixture of both. And then she felt her hands being touched and Akira let out a pained whimper again, the searing, burning pain running through her arms once more. Something cool and damp wiped itself across her face, cleaning it of all the blood and dust smeared across the left side. Her dirty clothes were removed as well and replaced with clean garbs. They were soft. A warm sensation enveloped her arms and soon, Akira fell asleep. Though it was only for a few hours; enough time for the medical-nin to do their work.

Akira woke up in the hospital, the same room she had been in only a few days prior. Her dirty clothes were folded and placed on a chair nearby, her weapons placed on top. She sat up and opened her eyes, immediately examining her arms. They were bandaged from the elbow down, the clean bands running through her fingers. She stared at them, waving her digits in front of her face. They didn't hurt, but Akira could see the pink scar tissue shining in the sunlight. The girl then looked up, blinking a few times so that her eyes got used to the sunlight.

"So that is how I got here," Akira mumbled, staring at Kakshi-sensei that win sleeping in the bed opposite hers.

"Akira! Akira!"

Naruto had suddenly burst into the room and called her name, trapping her in a bone crushing hug in the process. Akira laughed and tried to fight him off, ensuing in a small wrestling match and both of them falling to the floor.

"Naruto! She needs to be resting!" a female voice called from the hall.

The woman walked in. She was a little taller than Akira, but maybe that was just because of her small high heels. Her hair was pale blonde and divided into two ponytails at the base of her skull. Akira didn't recognize her until she spotted the small lavender diamond mark on her forehead.

"Lady Tsunade!" Akira gasped, getting to her feet and bowing respectfully. It made her dizzy and she swayed a bit, but she recovered easily and rose again. "It is an honor to meet you!"

"Oh, please, there's no need to be so formal with me," the Sannin chuckled, a little embarrassed.

"It's just the way she talks, Granny Tsunade," Naruto said casually.

"You should sit," Tsunade said calmly after smacking Naruto over the head. "Don't think I didn't notice you sway."

Akira smiled meekly and sat at the edge of her bed. Tsunade put her hand on Akira's forehead and it began to glow a pale green, nearly the same colour as her sweater. Moments later, Akira felt better than she had in ages. Then the Sannin took her arms in her hands and unwrapped the bandages. Akira's skin was peeled and torn in many places, revealing the dermis. Large bruises varying from deep purple to green were scattered, and scabs had formed where the electricity had punctured through her skin. Naruto visibly recoiled, but both women kept looking. Tsunade's hands began to glow green again.

"Lady Tsunade, would it be possible to leave the scars?" Akira asked, voice soft, midnight blue eyes fixed on her injuries.

"Why would you want to keep the scars?" Tsunade asked, examining the girl. She noticed other scars. "They won't be beautiful, or cool. They'll deform your skin."

"Would leaving scars reduce my ability to perform tasks?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then I ask if you would simply heal me until only the scars remain for they are a reminder, a testament to what I have endured and can endure again."

Tsunade looked at her funny, as if she was remembering something. Akira suspected that Orochimaru had told her something of the sort when they were still allies.

"Who told you that?" she said, as Akira watched more of her skin roughly reform.

"Someone I learned a great deal from."

Tsunade removed her hands from Akira's arms. The scars covered her fingers, hands and forearms. There were pockmarks and dimples in her skin, as well as broad and rough scars that traced up her arms in a seemingly random pattern, but Akira thought it looked like the current of electricity that had caused them. Tsunade was right. They weren't beautiful, but they were important. People who would see these scars would question, and then they'd see her jutsu and understand what the cost of power was.

"Have you gone to see Sasuke?" Akira asked, detaching her gaze from her arms.

"You betcha! Sasuke's gonna be all right!" Naruto said happily.

"Good," Akira said, smiling softly. She turned her head towards her sensei. "Lady Tsunade would it be possible to help Kakashi-sensei, as well?"

"Kakashi?" Tsunade said, then turned her head towards the other bed.

She rolled her eyes at him but went over anyway, placing her hand over his head. Her hands glowed green for a few seconds, then she removed them, allowing Kakashi-sensei to sit up. His eyes were sunken, barely open, with dark circles prominently featured underneath them. His head hung low and he was leaning forward, barely able to keep himself up. Akira knew that look. Her fist clenched in anger. Guy-sensei was right. Kakashi had the look. She saw it on Sasuke that night, and Sasuke saw it on her.

"Disgraceful," Tsunade sighed. "To be completely taken out of the game by two low-life punks like that. I thought you were supposed to be the best."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Kakashi-sensei managed to mumble.

"There is nothing for him to be sorry about," Akira intervened, sounding irritated. "Low-life thugs or not, Itachi Uchiha is the proud owner of a Mangekyō Sharingan. The fact that Kakashi-sensei still has his mind intact after going through that jutsu is a remarkable feat."

"What jutsu?" Tsunade asked.

"Tsukuyomi."

Tsunade's gaze hardened and she respectfully nodded at Akira, who glared at the woman defiantly. Guy-sensei, who had suddenly appeared from behind a curtain, and Naruto then dragged Tsunade off towards Lee to heal him as well. The Sannin waved Naruto away, reminding him that he had to meet up with Iruka-sensei, so he ran off. Tsunade looked at Akira then at Kakashi.

"Can you get him through this?"

"I can very well try."

Tsunade nodded and walked into another room, following Guy-sensei as he lead her to Lee. Akira looked back at Kakashi-sensei and she sighed. He hadn't moved an inch, still looking as dreadful as before; he was ghost-like, his face pallid. Akira stood up and gently swung his legs back onto the bed, pushing him into a lying position. She pulled the blanket from underneath him then draped it over her sensei, then sat at the edge of the bed, staring out the window and at the darkening sky.

"I see it, you know. It is in your eyes," Akira said gently, almost in a soothing tone of voice. "I see it in your eyes because I have seen it in mine, in the mirror, staring back at me. You never should have gone through that. No one should have ever experienced the horror that is Tsukuyomi." Akira sighed, then glanced at her sensei. "I do not know what Itachi made you see over and over again, what memory he used to try and break your spirit with. Itachi made me see a few things with Tsukuyomi." Kakashi's head turned towards Akira, but she was looking out the window and didn't notice. "Of course, he made me see what he had done to our family. I saw it all, the slaughter, over and over again, blood staining everything is sight, including myself. I watched as my brother murdered our parents. It was only a moment in reality, but it felt like days. It was horrible, but that was not the worst part. Itachi tried to dirty every good memory I had of him, of my parents, or everyone I knew. Tried to take away the only happiness I would ever have left. My most pleasant memories were now my worst nightmare, and for the longest time, they remained that way. Everything was sorrow. It has sat there for a life time, that sorrow.

"But in you, beside that sorrow, trying so desperately to crawl over it, I see something else. I see it in your eyes, Kakashi-sensei. The torturous memories you have now were once happy ones, and that is why, in your eyes, I see love too. It is the same gaze you hold when visiting the memorial stone in training ground three. Regret. Pain. Love. I see it. People can grow strong enough to whisper at the iron bars that hold them and see them bend out of their way, like the most crazy magic. That is what love can do: fix souls, fix brains, cure us all. I wish I could have mastered that way, but it is hard when you have been starving for so can sit and call for help. You can act like there is no cage, wear a mask of coping and normality. You can rage against the bars. Yet what love makes simple, no other thing can solve. There is another escape route, yet it is one into another great pain. It is possible to be so emotionally starved that you slip through the bars, no longer bound but with your soul crumbling. That was my way out. A way I hope you never take. What followed was endless emotional marathons on bleeding knees. I learned how to hide the pain, how to look normal. Sasuke did too. I understand why some go cold inside to escape the pain of isolation, why they let their empathy wither and die: numbness over feeling, mental anesthesia. I refuse that path for you, Kakashi-sensei.

"Do not forget the memories that torture you, Sensei. Instead, return them to their original state. Make them the best memories you can ever have. This is the only way you will get out of this. I wish I had realised it sooner. Remember those moments, remember those people, remember the good parts of them. Plan to avenge them. Make goals that would have made them happy, made them proud. Live as though they were watching you, happy that you hadn't forgotten them, but kept the best of them in your heart. Or find someone that reminds you of them, and love them like you would have loved them instead. Anything that keeps love alive, Kakashi-sensei. Love what they could have been."


	43. Promotion

Akira walked aimlessly down the streets of Konoha, staring at all the life bustling around her. The village reconstruction was well underway, and normal activities would soon start up again. However, Akira noticed a distinct lack of Shinobi in the streets. They had lost many of their best ninja when Orochimaru attacked the village. Akira wouldn't be surprised if she was asked to carry out missions she wasn't ready for, and she also expected young Shinobi to get promoted before they were ready to compensate for their losses. She wondered if anyone from the Chūnin exams would get promoted. Akira kicked a rock and watched it skip across the road. Maybe Naruto, unless they found him too immature. Hopefully she would get promoted, but she found that Shikamaru had the best chances. She smiled to herself. The thought of Shikamaru being a Chūnin amused her. But her smiled drooped, and her mind returned to Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke, both dead men walking because of Itachi. A surge of anger when through her and she violently kicked another stone. It crashed into a flower patch and ripped up all the plants in came into contact with. She sighed, angry at herself. How could she have wanted to have him back home safe?

"What did the flowers ever do to you?"

Akira turned towards the sound of the voice. First thing she saw was the red fang marks on the person's face, and she knew it was Kiba. She smiled gently at him and bent down to pet Akamaru, and turned back to look ahead, unable to muster more than that with all the thoughts running through her head. Kiba frowned at the sight of her face. Akira looked as if the muscles of her face had gone on strike. Everything about it was slack and it gave her the aura of one who would spurn even the most well meaning attempts to strike up a conversation. She had looked at him like the fire in her eyes had been dowsed with ice water, if anything it made her eyes seem darker. Kiba wasn't used to it. She wasn't Naruto, but she smiled, make jokes. He wasn't used to this, it unnerved him.

"Hey, talk to me," Kiba said softly, running over face her. "I'm your best friend."

Akira smiled sadly again, and reached up to Kiba, gently cupping his cheek before letting her hand fall limps against her side again. He looked down at her hands and saw the scars. A pained look crossed his face and Akamaru whimpered. Hesitantly, he took her hands in his and looked up at her eyes again. She wouldn't give. It was like she'd crawled into some invisible shell and matter how hard anyone would try to crack it, she'd be unreachable. Kiba wanted to crack his usual jokes, but he knew she wouldn't laugh. Kiba sighed. He was standing right in front of her, but she might as well be on the moon.

"Kira... Let me help. Anything you need!"

"I need to train," Akira said quietly.

"Good! Let's get Kai and Shikamaru and train together like we used to do!" Kiba said enthusiastically. "We can even go grab Naruto and Hinata."

"I need to train my Sharingan, Kiba..."

"Then I'll give you my all, and I'll try really hard not to let you clobber me with that thing. When Kakashi-sensei wakes up, you'll be ready for some real Sharingan training! How does that sound?"

"You are a lot nicer than people give you credit for, Kiba Inuzuka," Akira smiled.

"Shush! Not so loud! I've got a reputation to keep up!"

Kiba kept his word and gathered Kai, Shikamaru and Hinata, though he couldn't find Naruto anywhere. The five of them went to the old training ground they used to use when they were in the academy and beat the crap out of the training dummies as well as each other. For a few hours, everything was normal. They were just children, again. There was no Orochimaru, no Itachi, no suffering. Just five friends having a laugh while training. Everyone's eyes were gleaming with happiness, and Akira couldn't remember how long ago she'd felt this peaceful, or amused, especially when Kiba and Shikamaru argued over what restaurant in town was the best for okonimiyaki, or how Kai always managed to get his kimono sleeves caught in something.

The bliss wasn't short-lived, but it definitely could have been longer. However, Shikaku Nara, Shikamaru's father, came to fetch Akira and his son for whatever reason. He was wearing a different flak jacket than usual, one reserved for Jōnin commanders. The promotions had begun, though Akira knew Shikaku was well-suited for the job. After all, he was probably the smartest man in the Leaf Village. He lead them to the Academy, and then up the stairs towards the Hokage's office. On the way, they bumped into Lady Tsunade, her assistant Shizune, as well as Naruto. Tsunade went up to talk to Shikaku.

"That's where you were," Shikamaru stated.

"Woah, Akira, you're already out of the hospital!?" Naruto exclaimed. "How do you feel? How's Kakashi-sensei?"

"I am all right," Akira said. "Kakashi-sensei is still in the hospital, but I think he will be out in a few days."

"All right!"

"Anyway, why are you here? Shouldn't you be somewhere stuffing your face with ramen?" Shikamaru said.

"How about you, you're usually still asleep this time of day," Naruto countered.

"Very funny."

"Kiba gathered us up for some training with Kai and Hinata," Akira said. "As to why are here... I have no clue. Shikaku gathered us from the training grounds and brought us here."

"Hm. Hey, do they know each other?" Naruto said, looking over at Shikaku and Tsunade.

"Who's the blonde girl? And why is she talking to my dad like she's his boss?" Shikamaru whispered.

"Didn't you hear, she's the fifth Hokage."

"What?" both Shikamaru and Akira gasped.

"I thought she was simply here to treat injuries!" Akira added.

"And she's no girl," Naruto admitted. "She's actually an old lady in her fifties."

Akira and Shikamaru turned to Tsunade with disbelief. She was keeping herself young looking with the Transformation Jutsu? Akira sighed; this vain woman was going to be the Hokage. Naruto ran off with Tsunade and Shizune, on their way someplace, which left both Nara men and Akira alone.

"That's really the fifth Hokage?" Shikamaru said, shocked.

"Watch it, Shikamaru," Shikaku warned. "That woman is one of the strongest ninja you'll ever meet."

"I suppose that the Hokage being a Sannin is a good thing..." Akira admitted.

"But I mean, a woman Hokage? Not to sound prejudiced or anything, but it that such a good idea?" Shikamaru sighed. His father growled at him. "Come on, you know how they're like. You can never figure them out. You never know where you stand with them. The smallest things could put you on their bad side. And always playing their little mind games with you, trying to get you to do what they want. Jeez, the only girl I can tolerate is Akira for a reason - she acts more like a guy than a girl."

"He has a point," Akira concurred, lightly nodding her head. "Though, maybe you have just been spending too much time around Ino."

"Listen, Shikamaru," Shikaku said. "Keep in mind that without women, you and I wouldn't even exist. And take my word for it, they make men better people than we'd ever be without them. Now, come on, you two."

"If my mother made him a better man, I don't even want to think about what he was before," Shikamaru said as his father walked away.

Akira laughed a little, and the pair followed Shikaku into an office. It resembled the Hokage's office, but it was a little smaller, and there was a lot less paperwork lying around. There was a table on the side with many flak jackets and extra supplies, most likely given to those who got promoted. On the other side, a giant bookshelf with hundreds of scrolls and books about jutsu was displayed. Akira wondered if illegal jutsu were in those books as well. At the desk, two people were sitting, talking in whispers. They stopped when Akira and Shikamaru walked in and stepped to the center of the room. They stood in front of the council, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, both old members of the Second Hokage's team. Both Genin bowed respectfully.

"Thank you, Shikaku. You may leave us," Koharu said, nodding at the man in thanks.

"We apologize for the secrecy," Homura said as Shikaku left. "While this isn't going to be kept a secret for long, we thought it best to keep it from you in public as to not arouse any concerns with friends and family."

"There is no need for apologies," Akira said politely. "Please, what may we do for you?"

"The events of the Chūnin Exams have left us weakened," Koharu answered. "Many of our greatest Shinobi have been left incapable of performing their duties, or have simply died. Our city was partially destroyed, and our allies turned out to be traitors. We have been promoting shinobi who are good enough to support us in this time of need, such as your father, Shikamaru, who we promoted to Jōnin Commander. Unfortunately, we will also be forced to send young and scarcely prepared shinobi onto missions because of this. However, this is not the case here. While the Chūnin Exams were never completed in full, the Hokage and the Council witnessed enough battles to deem you, Shikamaru Nara, and you, Akira Uchiha, suited for a promotion to Chūnin."

It took a few seconds for the information to sink in even though it was spoken right before her. Then Akira's eyes widened and she felt her lips stretch into a real smile, the first in days. The girl bowed to the elders, thankful. This was it. This was her chance to get stronger, to become a Jōnin and to become the head of the Konoha Military Police, the commander of the vast majority of Konoha's forces.

"Of course, you can decline our offer," Homura said.

"Well, I don't know..." Shikamaru hesitated. "You really think we're ready for this?"

"Shikamaru Nara, you have exceptional intellect. Exceptional enough to rival your father's. Your strategic abilities would be an incredibly valuable asset to our village," Koharu explained. "Akira Uchiha, you possess the same prowess in the ninja arts as your father, Fugaku Uchiha, as well as many other Uchiha before him. Your immense power, as well as your capability for leadership, would not go wasted on Konohagakure."

"I accept," Akira said hurriedly, as if she was scared they'd change her mind. "I accept, and I am honoured. Shikamaru?"

"Yeah, what the hell. At least I'm not the only one getting promoted," Shikamaru reluctantly accepted.

"Congratulations, then, to the both of you," Homura said happily. "Now, all that is left for you to do is collect your jackets and any other supplies you would find necessary."

Akira bowed once more before retrieving a flak jacket that fit her and slipped it on. She also took sealing scrolls, extra shuriken and kunai, explosives tags, smoke bombs, Jōhyō and sealing tags. She stuffed all of it into her new jacket and waited for Shikamaru before exiting the office. Once outside, Akira couldn't withhold her happiness; she screeched happily, a sound Shikamaru never thought he'd hear her make.

"What the-"

The boy was interrupted by Akira who hugged him quite violently, lifting him up and spinning him around.

"I did it, Shikamaru, I did it!" Akira exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. "I am one step closer! I can become a Jōnin and then I can join the Military Police! Shikamaru this is amazing!"

Shikamaru couldn't help but smile. Akira hadn't been this happy for the longest time, so long he couldn't even remember. She was giddy, jumping up and down from excitement until she suddenly stopped, realising something.

"I have to tell Kakashi-sensei!" She hugged Shikamaru one last time. "I will see you later, Shikamaru!"

She bolted down the stairs and made her way to the infirmary. She covered the dirt road with an incredible speed that suggested her ankles were springs rather than the sinew and bone everyone else had. Maybe it was just the excitement, but Akira was faster than ever. Each one of her strides was at least two of anyone else's, and she barely broke a sweat as she wove through the crowd and construction materials filling the streets. Once at the infirmary, Akira burst through the doors and rapidly signed the visiting sheet before darting up more stairs. She came to an abrupt halt when she reached Kakashi-sensei's door. He was finally standing, hands on his hips and looking out the window.

"Kakashi-sensei, you are standing!" the girl said happily, a little out of breath.

Kakashi turned towards her.

"And I saw you coming," he said, no longer sounding tired.

"Did you see what I am wearing?" Akira said, spinning around. Kakashi seemed to have noticed only just now; his eyes widened a little. "The Council called Shikamaru and I. We've both been promoted to Chūnin!"

Even though Kakashi was wearing his mask, Akira could tell that he was smiling. His eyes were smiling too. He placed a hand on Akira's head, as he always did, and the smile on Akira's face only grew wider. Kakashi ruffled her hair, causing protest, but she was laughing. She was unable to be sad, or gloomy, or negative at all. Kakashi-sensei was fine, she was promoted to Chūnin. What could be better? Kakashi then held Akira at arm's length, staring almost fondly into her eyes.

"I'm very proud of you, Akira."


	44. The True Face of Kakashi-sensei

****Hey guys! So I've been getting questions and feedback for future potential pairings for Akira, so I've decided to put up a poll for it. There are already some suggested options, but if you've got another pairing in mind, just let me know in the comments and give me a few reasons why you like the pairing you're suggesting - I'll take it into consideration. The poll is on my profile, so go check it out and give me a hand! Thanks, and happy reading!**  
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"Hey, Akira... Did you look?"

Akira turned towards Naruto, looking confused.

With Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei out of the hospital, team seven was reunited. Naruto and Sasuke were both jealous to the see new khaki flak jacket that adorned Akira, but Sakura was proud. Before Team Seven was to meet up, both girls had a hot cup of tea and some dumplings. Akria had found that Sakura matured since they'd first met. Of course, she was still obsessed with Sasuke, but it was nowhere near as bad as before, and she found herself enjoying spending time with her on occasion.

It seemed that near death hadn't taught Kakashi to be on time, as Team Seven ended waiting nearly a half hour for him again. He'd explained the mission and disappeared, deeming them capable enough to accomplish it on their own. If anything were to go awry, Kakashi-sensei left Akira in charge. After much protest from Sasuke and Naruto, Kakashi left them to their own devices. The mission was smooth, and Akira didn't have to intervene at all, most likely since the boys didn't want to have her intervene. Now, Team Seven was making their way back home. But Naruto stopped the others as he had gotten to thinking. Akira had been a big part in Kakashi-sensei's recovery, and she must have watched him sleep a lot...

"So, while he was asleep? Did you take a peek?"

"What are you talking about, Naruto?" Akira said, annoyed, as she sat down next to Sakura.

"You wanna see it, don't ya? Kakashi-sensei's... real face!"

"Ugh, cut it out will ya!?" Sakura yelled, getting up to knock Naruto on the head.

"Please, this is lame. You can count me out," Sasuke scoffed. "We finished today's mission. I'm outta here."

"Yeah, you're totally right," Sakura said dreamily. Though moments later it seemed like she was reconsidering.

"What if he's got lips... like a blimp!" Naruto said as Sasuke was walking away. The boy stopped. "Or maybe buck teeth."

Akira tried to imagine Kakashi-sensei with any of those features and she couldn't contain her laughter. It was obvious he had neither of those features, you could tell by the way the mask clung to his face. Akira was curious, but was she willing to go to all the trouble of sneaking around to find out? It seemed that Sasuke was. To her surprise, he walked back towards Naruto, albeit with a glare, and the two boys began plotting. With a sigh, Akira joined in, followed by Akira.

About a half hour later, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and Akira were all sitting with Kakashi-sensei at Ichiraku Ramen. They'd decided to treat him to a good meal, as he would have to remove his mask to eat, right? Of course, Kakashi-sensei suspected something was up.

"Well, this is out of the ordinary," he said.

"Here, thanks for waiting," the shop-keeper said as he placed a fresh bowl of ramen in front of Kakashi.

"The four of you treating me to lunch... I wouldn't be surprised if it snowed on me, or if the ramen blew up. You know what I mean? You guys are up to something right?"

The four students tried their best to hide it, but it was hard when the famed Copy-Ninja was staring down at you. All of them were exaggerating their innocence, but it wasn't avoidable to see the guilt on their faces.

"Wha-Wha-What are you _crazy_?" Naruto wheezed.

"Kakashi-sensei, please! You just got out of the hospital!" Sakura added, panicked.

"Now, why do you not just go ahead and eat!" Akira proposed.

"Well, all right then," Kakashi said. "I suppose I should just dig in."

The four of them spied on Kakashi, looking at him sideways as to not look too interested. Slowly, he split his chopsticks and began to pull down his mask. They all watched nervously, but all of a sudden, Ino, Choji and Shikamaru came charging in, blocking their view. The four of them yelled.

"Get out of the way, Ino Pig!" Sakura shouted.

"Ah, man! I can't see squat!" Naruto added.

"Ahh, all done. That was tasty."

Kakashi-sensei had finished his entire bowl of ramen in mere seconds, to Team Seven's dismay. Akira looked over to the shop keeper and his daughter who was standing beside him. A blush ran across both of their cheeks, and the daughter nearly had literal hearts in her eyes. Judging from that, Kakashi-sensei must be quite handsome. She was really curious now.

"Okay! Now I'm curious!" the four of them chorused, looking at the man with a deadpan expression, much to the Shikamaru, Ino and Choji's confusion.

Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto and Akira had reconvened back to their original plotting location. Naruto was determined to see Kakashi's face after the reaction it got from the two shop keepers.

"That's it!" Naruto exclaimed. "Nothing's gonna stop me from seeing that face!"

"Yeah, but how? You got any ideas?" Sakura asked.

"Don't you worry... We'll see it one way or another!"

"I'm asking you how, you stupid little troll!"

"All right, smarty pants. How do you propose we do it?" Naruto said sarcastically.

"Well, uh..."

"We'll just have to tail him for the rest of the day," Sasuke suggested. "He's gotta take off the mask at some point."

"Oh, Sasuke, I swear, you are so smart!" Sakura said dreamily.

"Sakura, it is the simplest deduction anyone could make," Akira chuckled.

The tree students spent most of the day tailing Kakashi-sensei. Naruto followed him around first, returning to the three others empty handed. Sakura went next, but he'd fooled her with a dummy of himself. Akira went next, but she couldn't bear hearing Guy-sensei talk to Kakashi like a crazy person for more than an hour, so she returned as well with some random excuse. And then Sasuke simply got bored and also returned fruitless.

Around midday, Team Seven received a new mission at a nearby farmland. They all packed their effects and met up at the entrance to the city, which was already fully repaired. The weather was gorgeous today. The sun was out, the clouds were nonexistent. Perfect weather to work outside. However, the four students only hoped for an opportunity to see what was underneath Kakashi-sensei's mask.

"Off we go!" Naruto said, way too happy for his own good.

"What's with you guys, today?" Kakashi-sensei asked. "You seem ready for anything."

"Oh, we're ready all right!" the four students said in sync.

"All righty, then. Good to hear."

Kakashi-sensei and Akira walked ahead of Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto, talking about the new training she'd be going through starting this evening. Kakashi had decided to personally oversee her transition into a Chūnin, and her training was starting tonight after their mission. All of a sudden, Akira sensed something nearby and looked at Kakashi-sensei. He turned to her and nodded. He'd sensed it too, however they weren't making a move and it wasn't like they were going on a top secret mission, so Kakashi and Akira let it be.

It only took a few hours to reach the farm, and when they did the old woman who owned it ushered them inside to describe the work to be done. Out of appreciation, she made them a large lunch so that they could keep up their strength. The four students looked at each other with devilish expressions. They all waited for Kakashi to start eating, but he wasn't having it.

"What's wrong you guys? No one's picked up their chopsticks," he said, looking at each and every one of them.

"Oh, it's nothing, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura tried to reassure him. "Don't wait on us, just go ahead and eat."

"Actually, I'm kind of on a diet right now."

Everyone looked at him deadpan. Of course he'd say something like that. Then, out of nowhere, Naruto pretended that his hand slipped and literally threw a teapot full of tea at Kakashi-sensei. And instead of moving out of the way, Kakashi-sensei flipped the table and blocked it.

"Are you outta your mind!" Sakura yelled.

"Sorry about that. I guess my hand just slipped," Kakashi said rubbing the back of his head.

"What do you mean your hand slipped!" all four students shouted.

They all proceeded to clean up, and when Kakashi left the room, the four students put their heads together.

"Okay, what's our next move, guys?" Sakura asked.

"Don't worry about it," Sasuke said. "I think I've got a plan."

"What kind of plan?" the three others said simultaneously.

"This is so unfair," Sakura and Akira said moments later, as they sat in the women's section of the hot spring. Of course, they weren't allowed to be with Sasuke and Naruto, so they couldn't see a thing. "Not cool, Sasuke. Not cool."

"Wait, maybe we can see through the cracks in the bamboo fence," Akira said.

As she came out of the water she tightly wrapped a towel around herself and peeked across. Moments later, Akira flopped back into the water, an irritated look on her face.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"He is wearing a towel over his face too!"

"Did you see the rest of him, though?"

"SAKURA!"

* * *

Now they actually had to do some work. Akira had started repairing the fence on one side, but she walked away as soon as she saw Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke dressed up in different clothes. They walked up to Kakashi-sensei and began shouting. Akira frowned. Where had they gotten those uniforms? She remembered what she'd sensed earlier; people were following them around. These were their uniforms. With a glance around the farm, Akira noticed a barrel that was half open. As Kakashi got fed up and tied up Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke, Akira went over to the barrel and knocked it over in front of Kakahi-sensei. Three men fell out wearing the exact same outfits as Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.

"There we go. I was wondering how long you guys were going to hide around for," Kakashi said, poking Naruto in the head. "Thank you, Akira, for pushing them along."

"Anytime, Sensei!" Akira smiled, closed-eyed.

"Sensei!?" the three men gasped. "This is why her skills are unmatched! She has learned from the transgressor!"

"First thing's, first," Kakashi said, "Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto... why are you dressed like that?"

"Uh, well, the thing is.."

"You fools! You fell right into our trap! We knew that if you saw us like this you'd come closer and give Akira the chance to find you out!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed. Akira had to hand it to her; it was a nice save. "The four of us have known all along you were targeting Kakashi-sensei!"

"Are you telling me that our machinations were exposed from the very beginning!?" one of the men said, backing up.

"Of course! This was all just a ruse to lure you guys out! And you fell for it - hook, line and sinker!"

"So we were caught up in your web of deception!" another man said dramatically. "DRAT! We underestimated them because they're kids!"

"Well, I'm not sure I really get what's going on around here," Kakashi said, scratching his head, "but whatever."

Kakashi moved forward and the three men cowardly moved back and began to bed for forgiveness and mercy. Akira was trying hard not to laugh at them. Moments later, they were tied up just like Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were, crying in shame as they swung, their knot tied up to the roof of the barn. Team Seven left them behind and headed off, listening to their dramatic cries as they left. The sky was lit up with colours of amber and pomegranate, and as Akira stared at it, she had a thought.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, what are you hiding underneath that mask?"

"Huh? You wanna know what's behind my mask?"

"Yeah!" Naruto concurred.

"You should have just said so in the first place," Kakashi-sensei said as if it were the most logical thing to say.

"So does that mean you'll show us?" Sakura asked, hopeful.

"Sure, I don't mind."

Akira, Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto all gathered in front of Kakashi-sensei, excited, all imagining a preposterous facial feature he could have. Blimp lips? Buck teeth? A small mouth? Eyes wide like saucers, they all watched as Kakashi slowly pulled down his mask to reveal...

"Another mask! Pretty cool, huh?"

"WHAT!?" they all chorused. "Are you kidding me!? What kind of ending is that!?"


	45. Deadly

****Don't forget to check out my profile poll to tell me what pairing Akira should be in!****

* * *

Before the day has started for the masses, Akira was already in the kitchen, fully dressed and halfway done with making breakfast for Sasuke only. Outside was as black as night, only by the clock could she tell the difference between the time to sleep and the time to rise. Though, she had already been up for hours, lying awake as she usually did. The dawn would come as Akira walked to the Dango Shop to meet Kakashi-sensei for some breakfast. He was treating her to breakfast before they trained until one, or both of them had a mission to accomplish.

Akira packed Sasuke's breakfast and put it in the fridge, leaving a note on the counter for him before she left home. She shrugged on a thick kimono, which she assumed she'd take off sometime during the training, and ran out the door. She calmly walked down the streets, looking around at the darkened city. A few lanterns were lit along the street, a few shop keepers were awake and preparing for the long day ahead or, in the case of the Dango Shop, had already been open for at least a half hour because they served breakfast for shinobi before their training or missions.

To Akira's surprise, Kakashi-sensei was already there, waiting for her. As Akira arrived, the hostess placed two cups of green tea in front of Kakashi-sensei. He looked up Akira as she sat down in front of him. The light in the shop barely illuminated them.

"This is an odd time to go out and eat, Sensei," Akira said, glancing around. It was deserted. "I feel oddly exposed. Why did you insist on treating me to breakfast when I could have eaten at home?"

"Good morning, to you too, Akira," Kakashi said, smiling behind his mask.

"Good morning, Sensei," Akira sighed, smiling as well.

"I asked you to meet me before our training so that I could explain a few things."

"What is there to explain?" Akira sipped her tea. "About becoming a Chūnin, anyway."

"There isn't much, but I figured I'd give you a refresher course," Kakashi-sensei said. "Besides, you're getting free food out of it."

"I cannot argue with that," Akira chuckled. "Well, then. Please proceed."

"I'm sure you know that people are getting promoted everywhere because of Orochimaru." Akira nodded, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt. "Some that aren't ready are getting promoted."

"Are you saying that I am not ready?"

"No, I'm saying that you are going to put in charge of teams that aren't ready," Kakashi said. The hostess returned and placed three different kinds of dango in front of the teacher and student. "The Council has promoted you to Chūnin because you reached a level of maturity and ability that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess. I can't deny that. After all, you did receive impeccable training."

"Sensei, I-"

"Listen to me, Akira," Kakashi interrupted. "You made a decision, and I can't change it. What I can do is tell you that the next time someone offers you power and you know it's wrong - don't take it. Don't take it unless absolutely necessary."

"Of course, Sensei..."

"Now, as you know, Chūnin are typically sent on C-rank or B-rank missions. Given that we're low on forces, there's a big chance that you'll be sent on B-rank or A-rank missions, instead. Combine that with an inexperienced team..."

"And I am bound to have some issues," Akira sighed, popping dango into her mouth. "I have just become a Chūnin. How can they expect me to lead an inexperienced team in a mission that even _I_ should not be doing?"

"And that's why you have me," Kakashi-sensei smiled. "Come on, eat. The sooner we start, the faster we can get to training."

"I have already started eating, Sensei. You are the one who has not," Akira chuckled, then took a sip of her tea.

"Oh, right, would you look at that," Kakashi-sensei said nervously.

"Forgive us for the other day," Akira said a little shamefully. "Naruto got curious and dragged us into scheming. While I am curious about your appearance, if you do not wish for me to look at your face, I will respectfully look away."

Akira finished her cup of tea and the rest of her dango. She crossed her arms and looked up, heat immediately rising up to her cheeks like the shop keepers at Ichiraku the other day. Kakashi actually had his mask down, and he wasn't eating excessively fast as he had done before. Akira's midnight blue eyes blinked a few times, taking in his appearance: the relaxed expression encompassed his entire face, not only his dark grey eyes, but he didn't look lazy, only serene. With high cheekbones and a strong, narrow-jawline, Kakashi Hatake deserved the looks from those shop keepers, as well as Akira apparently. He was quite handsome.

Akira shook herself out of her stupor as Kakashi-sensei looked up at her. She couldn't make a big deal out of this or he'd regret ever doing this in the first place. Akira kept calm - well, as calm as she could.

"What?" Kakashi said, looking at her, holding his tea up to his lips.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Akira said nonchalantly, although her brain kept repeating the same thing in her head: I have seen his mouth move without the mask. I have seen his mouth move without the mask. "Just making an observation."

"What sort of observation?"

"Sensei, I am seeing your face for the first time, what do you think?"

Kakashi chuckled and finally sipped his tea, then also finished his dango. Akira looked outside. The sun was finally beginning to show, a paler shade of blue growing on the horizon. Sasuke would be waking up sometime soon. Kakashi-sensei placed a few coins on the table and stood, replacing his mask over his face. Akira stood as well, and followed her sensei to training ground three. She stopped in front of the memorial stone. New names had been added to it already, for the people who had lost their lives when Orochimaru and the Sand Village attacked Konoha. Akira knelt before it and closed her eyes, whispering a short short prayer for the departed:

"We little knew that day, Death was going to call your names. In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you did not go alone. For part of us went with you, when Death called you home. You left us beautiful memories, your love is still our guide. And although we cannot see you, you are always at our side."

Akira opened her eyes and stood, bowing at the memorial stone before returning to Kakashi-sensei's side. He gently placed a hand on her head, his fingers running through her hair as he pulled away. If there was one thing he admired most about his student, was the respect she held for everyone, especially the dead. Of, course, there were many things he admired about her.

"Are we going to get started, old man?" Akira laughed, knocking Kakashi out of his daze.

"That's Sensei, to you, young lady," Kakashi reprimanded, but still amused.

"What are we starting with?"

"Show me what he taught you, first," Kakashi said. "Use the stumps as targets."

"Are you sure?" Akira asked in a quiet voice.

Kakashi nodded and stepped aside, leaning on a tree trunk. He didn't take out his book this time and was actually going to watch. Akira sighed and positioned herself in front of the stumps at a fair distance. She calmed herself and her body, putting herself in a comfortable and loose position. Slowly moving her hands, she pulled out the water from the gourd on her back with ease, shaping it into a ball in front of her. Akira began performing what Kakashi could only qualify as a dance, as she moved her body so smoothly and so gracefully it almost didn't look like taijutsu. Her movements flowed with a dazzling grace that nearly took away Kakashi's breath. He was sure she could combine some sort of genjutsu with this if she wasn't already. Her entire being moved with a purposeful clarity. With each stride Akira made, it became more painfully obvious how much dedication and patience she put into mastering this, and how punishing it was for her. The water flowed like the breeze, swirling around, following her arms as she danced, until all of a sudden, she slammed her arms forward, sending the water rushing towards the stumps. Midway, Akira's extended fingers clenched into a fist, and the water balled, blowing a giant hole in the thick stump before her. She unclenched her fists and placed her hands together in a sort of prayer position which he held at arm's length. Just as abruptly as before, she pulled in her hands, still in the prayer position, and the water became razor thin, slicing through another stump like butter. Then she placed her palm in front of her face and stopped the water right in front of her, and deviated it to the left. She began her dance again, spinning slowly to create a defensive bubble of water which she hardened, so much that it nearly looked like glass. With one last short dance, Akira returned the crystalline water into the gourd on her back.

"You practised that a lot," Kakashi said. Akira turned to him, smiling meekly. "I'm impressed."

"I do not use it much. If I do, I use it defensively or to retain an opponent, otherwise it takes up a lot of Chakra," Akira said.

"Did he teach you any jutsu?"

"A few..." Akira faced the stumps again and performed a few handsigns. "Striking Shadow Snake!"

Within seconds, a dozen snakes burst out of her sleeve and launched themselves at the stump that was still standing. They all bit down on the wood, venom visibly seeping down to the ground. A few seconds later, the snakes returned to Akira's sleeve and disappeared. Another few handsigns later, three other Akira were standing before her. With incredible speed, she threw a kunai at each and they disintegrated, one into dirt, the second into water and the third into a large, blue spark. Another four handsigns later, the third stump was scorched by the power of Sasuke's classic Drago Fire Jutsu, followed by Fox Fire, bullets of fire shot at the stump with a simple motion of the hand. Without waiting, Akira performed another few handsigns, bit her finger and drew a line of blood on the tattoo on her arm.

"Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!"

With a giant puff of smoke, Akira rose into the air on Shiro's head, just above the treeline of the forest around training ground three. She thanked Shiro for the demonstration, bowing respectfully towards him before dismissing the serpent and turning to face Kakashi-sensei. He was still facing her, leaning against the tree behind him, but his face - or his eyes - held emotion this time. His gaze was softened. Even though she'd learned these techniques from the likes of Orochimaru, she performed them with the strength, grace and exactitude of an Uchiha. It hurt him a bit to admit this to himself, but Kakashi could tell that she respected Orochimaru and what he'd taught her. All knowledge was precious to her, no matter who is came from.

"I see you've expanded your arsenal," Kakashi-sensei said. "You can use Fire Release and Earth Release now?"

"Only a few basic Jutsu," Akira said, being modest. "The Shadow Clones well... I already knew that technique. I was just taught his version."

"The water clone?"

"Learned that one from you."

"Copied it?"

"No. I actually bothered to learn that one properly," Akira said, smiling sheepishly. "The Fire Techniques I had seen Sasuke do so many times, so I finally decided to practise them. Perform the rightful jutsu of my clan. Of course, I know a lot more... that he taught me. But it isn't things I can do without a real human guinea pig."

"I'm here," Kakashi-said, stepping forward. Akira stepped back.

"No. No, I cannot perform these on you."

"That bad, huh?"

Akira nodded rapidly, recalling the one technique she was never to use unless absolutely necessary, and so many other jutsu which, ultimately, resulted in the target's death. There was no way she was going to use any of them on her sensei. Images of herself practising those jutsu flashed through her mind.

"It would not matter that you are more skilled than I, Kakashi-sensei. If you were to let me use those Jutsu on you, you would die."


	46. Sensei Give Me Strength

Akira looked at herself in the mirror as she shrugged on her new uniform: the girl pulled her black shirt over her head, readjusting the collar when her arms had gone through her sleeves. She tied her wide-legged pants over her shirt at the waist area, then slipped one arm through each slot in her flak jacket. Akira tied the upper half of her long, onyx hair into a bun and left the other half down, with two strands framing her face. For the first time, Akira put her Leaf Village bandanna on her forehead, tying it underneath the bun. She pulled the two strands of hair over her bandanna and sighed, glancing at a picture on her dresser. Like this, she looked so much like her mother; the same soft smile, the same kindness in their eyes.

Akira calmly made her way through the village streets on her way to the Mission Assignment Office. After their training the previous day, Kakashi-sensei told Akira that her days as a Chūnin were to start the following day. As expected, Akira received a notice to arrive at the Mission Desk alongside the rest of Team Seven. Sasuke was already with her, woken up by his sister at an earlier hour than even he got up at. Next. Akira and Sasuke knocked on Sakura's door. Her mother answered and went to fetch her daughter immediately. Minutes later, Sakura was downstairs, ready to go. Naruto took a little more time to get up, as he didn't respond at the door, or even wake up, until Akira kicked it wide open. Eventually, the four of them were at the mission desk, standing in front of Lady Tsunade.

"All right! Whatever the mission is, I'm psyched and ready to go!" Naruto shouted, pumping his fist into the air. Sasuke scoffed, making Naruto glare back at him.

"But, where's Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.

"He won't be here," Akira stated. The three others looked at her, blinking stupidly. "He left on a mission last night."

"Akira's right," Tsunade said. "You know our forces are stretched thin. All our Jōnin are busy on other missions already, including Kakashi. You three -" Tsunade pointed at Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke "-will just have to handle this with Akira as your commanding officer. The mission is a B-rank escort, someone important. Of course, it could easily turn into an A-rank if complications arise."

There was silence. Akira stepped forward.

"Who are we escorting?" she asked.

"I don't know."

"Hold on, what do you mean, you don't know?" Naruto questioned.

"Every four years, our neighbours, the Land of Tea, hold a dedication ceremony at the Great Todoroki Shrine, and each time we're asked to escort a runner who will participate in the race that's part of the ceremony."

"You mentionned complications." Akira commented, interjecting before Tsunade could continue.

"Yes," she admitted. "This year, the messengers that were bringing the request were attacked before they could get here."

"I'm sorry, but I'm still not following the story very well," Sakura said, sounding a little worried.

"The Land of Tea is expecting you this evening. The rest of the instructions will be given to you by Boss Jirōchō Wasabi once you have arrived," Tsunade finished.

"Count on us," Akira said with a curt bow. "All right, let us move out!"

Akira marched out of the Mission Assignment office, motioning for the others to follow her. They made a quick pit-stop to grab some extra gear, and then swiftly made their way out of Konohagakure, towards the south. Once at the exit, Akira paused and turned to her team. She took a deep breath.

"I am by no means ready for this. I have just become a Chūnin and should be doing C or B-rank missions with a team capable of doing the same," Akira said sternly, hands on her hips. "You are all Genin, and while you are very strong, a Genin you still are. I have complete faith in your abilities, however... right now, I am entirely responsible for your lives and for your actions. For today, I am your leader, and I expect you to give me the same respect as you would Kakashi-sensei. Listen to what I tell you, and if I tell you to do something, you better do it or it is my record it is going on. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Naruto said, saluting.

Sakura and Sasuke nodded at her and she nodded back. Team Seven then began their journey towards the Land of Tea. Akira's senses were on high alert, more than usual. If anything happened to her team, it would be her fault, and she didn't want to be responsible for any sort of injuries, or worse...

It was nearly midday when Naruto decided it was time for a break and broke into a run towards a nearby tea house. Upon entering it, Akira looked around and the others seated themselves. It was empty, save for the old woman working there and a young man sitting at the back. She looked at him for a while as he sharpened a senbon before the old woman brought her out of her reverie, asking what she would like to eat.

"Just tea, thank you," Akira said simply, leaning against the doorway so that she'd see anyone going in or out.

"I just hope we get some fighting in!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Fighting is the last thing we want to do, Naruto," Akira said calmly. "We do not want to cause any unnecessary trouble."

Akira stood up straight and placed her hand on the hilt of one of her swords as the boy from the back of the tea house approached. She took a step forward when he got too close to the table.

"May I help you?"

"Just sittin' around in the shade, sucking down sweet bean soup? The ninja's life is pretty cushy," he said mockingly, looking over at Naruto.

"What'd you say?" Naruto said, beginning to sound irritated.

Akira held up a hand to silence him. Surprisingly, he listened.

"Guess you don't get much action in the Leaf Village, judging by how out of shape you look."

"Thank you for your wisdom. Now, if you do not mind, I would appreciate it if you left us to finish our meal. We have business to attend to," Akira said politely.

"Oh, I didn't even notice you were there!" the man said, pretending to be surprised. "How could I miss such a cutie?"

"I recommend you don't go there," Sasuke said, fists clenched.

Akira turned to him and rolled her eyes. It was not the time for her brother to worry about men complimenting her in front of him. When she turned around however, the boy was gone and the woman returned with their orders and two bills. Akira growled; she didn't even notice him leave he was so fast. She placed her hand to the ground and located him, already a ways off. He was fast, faster than herself and Sasuke.

"I do not know what his training is, but he is incredibly fast," Akira said to Sasuke and Sakura as they ran after the boy, Naruto in the lead.

"Who could he be?" Sakura asked.

"Who cares? He's toast when I catch up with him!" Naruto shouted.

The four ninja jumped into the trees and continued their pursuit until they fell upon the boy who'd crash landed into a bush. He begged for mercy a little, until something dropped into his hand and he ran off again, this time removing leg weights. He was even faster now, and though Akira the rest of the team attempted to go after him, they weren't able to. Instead, they decided to continue their journey to the Land of Tea before they were late.

Before long, Team Seven had arrived at the Land of Tea. It wasn't very hard to find their way around; as soon as they got there someone escorted them to Boss Jirōchō Wasabi. He was a large man with shaggy grey hair and soft grew eyes. Though he was reputed to be a big gambler, Akira thought he seemed rather kind looking.

"Welcome, and thank you all for coming," he said as he sat down cross-legged on the tatami mat floor.

"My name is Akira Uchiha," the girl said, bowing politely to the man, "and this is my team. How may we be of service to you?"

"You know about the dedication ceremony held at the Great Todoroki Shrine every four years, don't you?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade informed us of it."

"At first, the dedication ceremony was simply used to dedicate the jewels found at the shrine. In time, the ceremony became a festival, then a race, with the winner of the race being honoured a great hero," Jirōchō explained. "In recent years, what started as a friendly race has taken on a more troublesome aspect. For generations, Port Degarashi has been divided by two families: the Wasabi and the Wagarashi, two rival gambling families, which inevitably lead to disputes. These disputes have become increasingly dangerous over the years, and have started harming the townsfolk. Finally, in an attempt to end the cycle of violence, our district leader called upon both families to come to an agreement. Henceforth, control of the town would not be decided by street brawls, but by the race held every four years."

"I presume the Wagarashi won the race four years ago, and that the violence has not stopped," Akira stated. She earned a solemn nod from Jirōchō.

"They hired a ninja to sabotage us four years ago, and we've learned that they intend to do the same thing this year. That's why we sent messages to you for help."

"Leveling the playing field," Sasuke stated.

"Exactly," Jirōchō said. "But before the messengers could reach your village, they were ambushed and attacked." The man got to his knees and bowed. "I beg you. Please lend our family your strength. If we lose again, it means the Wagarashi will control this town for four more years."

Akira knelt before the man and put a hand to her heart. Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto looked at her, eyes wide with disbelief. For Naruto however, it was admiration, as he found that he wasn't the only one to make vows to people he wanted, or needed, to protect.

" 'Shinobi Rule Number 49: A Shinobi must first and foremost be the protector of those in his care,' " Akira quoted, speaking clearly. "It is my responsibility, Jirōchō Wasabi, to do my job, and therefore protect everyone that I can. I swear, with the help of my team, that your runner will make it safely to the finish line."

"Excellent," Jirōchō said, smiling. "So that means you'll take the job?"

"Of course."

"So who're we escorting, anyway?" Sasuke asked.

Jirōchō clapped twice and someone appeared at the door, kneeling. He slid the door open and Akira had to force herself not to groan at the sight of the young man who'd given them so much trouble earlier. He and Naruto both yelled at the sight of each other. Akira sighed and stared at the ceiling.

"Sensei... give me the strength to survive this."


	47. Fugaku Uchiha

Akira didn't know what she was thinking when she told Naruto to try and get along with Idate. He'd insulted the shinobi the second he opened his mouth; how was Naruto supposed to accept that. Akira had to agree, but the mission was more important than the opinion of some punk. At the very least, Akira had deemed it important to survey the city a little and observe, map the area so that she could act accordingly. She'd told Sasuke and Sakura to stay with Jirōchō and get more details, while she let Naruto "get along" with Idate. Soon, she spotted them below her, yelling and complaining again. Akira sighed and made her way to the docks, attracted by the view of the ocean. She sat down and played at the water with the tips of her fingers. Soft sky above, sharp stones underfoot and the clouds caressed with reflected light. The lacy waves were a drumbeat that echoed Akira's heart, the breeze blew the tension right out of her bones and all the while a thin stream of water spun around her fingers.

The hell are you doing here? This is my spot."

Akira calmly retracted her fingers and the water fell back to the ocean. She stood, smoothed out her clothes, and turned around to face Idate. He seemed irritated, as he usually was when ninja were involved.

"My name is Akira Uchiha and I have been tasked with your protection," she said.

"I didn't ask to be protected by a bunch of incompetent ninja!" Idate shouted.

"I know, but Boss Jirōchō asked for us. So, it is my job to protect you whether you want me to or not." Akira sighed. "Look, Idate, I know you do not like me, or ninja in general for that matter, but in order for my team and I to assure your safety from the Wagarashi family and succeed in our mission, we have to at least tolerate each other's presence."

"What if I don't?"

"Then it will make my job much more difficult to accomplish, Idate, because I will not back down from protecting you even if you tell me to stop. I do not take orders from you, and do not think for one second that you intimidate me in any way. I have seen worse things in childhood that you will most likely ever see in your lifetime," Akira said sternly, gaze fixed on Idate. He gulped a little. "I am the leader of Team Seven, and if tensions between you and my team cause them to be distracted from the mission enough to get hurt, even though you are to blame, it would be my fault in the end. And, honestly, I cannot and will not be responsible for any loss or injury, even yours." Akira paused. " 'Shinobi Rule Number 49: A Shinobi must first and foremost be the protector of those in his care.' Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura are in my care, I must protect them. You are now in my care because of the parameters of the mission, I must protect you. Protest all you want, Idate, but I will not abandon my mission."

Akira's head suddenly snapped to the right. Idate looked at her odd and before he knew it, she'd disappeared in a flash. The girl reappeared in town, at a place she'd previously marked. Sakura nearly screeched when she'd appeared before her. Sasuke merely blinked at the advanced technique. Both soon returned their gaze to what Akira had sensed on the docks. A shop keeper had fallen, his cart as well, and a few Wagarashi henchmen were yelling at him, threatening to hurt him if he didn't pay for what he'd broken. As one of the henchmen was about to punch the shop keeper, Akira moved almost like a flash of lightning and stopped the man, squeezing his arm with enormous force. For a second, the man glanced at her scarred hands and his eyes widened ever-so-slightly.

"What the- how are you!?"

"That is none of your concern," Akira said with a dangerous smile. "Now, how about you and your friends take a walk."

The two other henchmen turned around and began approaching. The man and a woman that Sakura was talking to both shouted for her to leave and run. However, as the three Wagarashi men went to attack Akira, she swiftly moved out of the way and they smashed into the third man. They got up for more and the Uchiha simply grabbed each of their hands as they punched, pulled them aside and kicked them in the stomach a few times before dropping them carelessly to the side. The last one came at her with a short knife, but he stopped, realising almost too late that there was a Katana to his throat. He glanced between the short blade and the sword before backing down and collecting his two friends.

"I would appreciate it if you kept the disturbances to a minimum," Akira said almost too kindly, sliding her Katana back into its holster. "We would not want to have to go through this again, now would we?"

"Just don't mess with us, or else next time we won't let you off so easy!"

"All right, then next time I'll be able to introduce you to my friends the Katana."

With one last whimper, the three Wagarashi men left, breaking into a run.

"Young lady," the man Akira saved said. She looked at him. "Thank you, whoever you are."

"I was only doing my job, sir," the girl said modestly.

Akira frowned and looked over at Sasuke and Sakura. Both of them were frowning as well. They all had the same thing on their mind: there was no way they were going to let Idate lose the race.

* * *

Fireworks erupted in the sky the morning of the race. It was still dark out, and all the colours shone brightly as if they'd been painted on a canvas. There was cheering and shouting, all the while music played. Both families had gathered on opposite sides of the plaza, with both runners waiting in front of the starting line. Akira was giving her team last minute instructions before the commencement ceremony. Mostly, it was her telling Naruto not to get worked up over anything Idate said. Finally, Akira went to stand beside the boy.

"I am not going to be by your side for much of the race. Not until you hit the water," Akira whispered to him. "That is, if you are still planning on avoiding this part of the ocean?"

"That's nice. One less ninja in my way," Idate said indifferently.

"Idate! Treat my team with respect or I will not treat you with respect." The girl sighed. "Now, I will be hanging back to watch over you and the surrounding area. I suspect the Wagarashi will send their most powerful ninja with their runner, and then the others to attack you."

"Talk about playing dirty..."

"I will keep them at bay, just remember: my team is there to protect you. That being said, if they do actually get in the way of your progress, feel free to tell them - in a respectful manner. They will back off a little, but they need to stay relatively close. All right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Idate sighed.

"One last thing, Idate," Akira said as she was returning to her team. "Good luck."

"You set?" Sasuke asked when Akira reached him.

"Yes, I am. Do you all know the layout of the race?" Naruto shook his head. "Sakura?"

"All right, let me explain it to you," Sakura told Naruto, taking out a map. "The starting point is here, at Port Degarashi. From here, the runners make their way to Modoroki Shrine - that's the midpoint."

"They run over water?" Naruto said in disbelief.

"Uh, no, Naruto. The first leg of the race is done by boat. Anyway, the runners pick up the Ryoku jewels from the Modoroki Shrine, and the first one that takes them to the Great Todoroki Shrine wins."

"Remember," Akira said. "You three will deal with Idate mostly on your own for a large part of the race while I hang back and deal with the ninja who will be following us. Also, do not forget that I will not look like this while we are separated."

"What? Why not?" Naruto asked.

"They have seen the four of us. If I am to be walking around the forest, I will not do so in a form they recognise," the girl replied. "I will send one of my Shadow Clones with you so it does not look suspicious that I am missing. All right?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Naruto said, saluting again.

"Oh, and one last thing... Stay safe."

The giant speakers soon began amplifying someone's voice, explaining the terms of the race and introducing the runners. Akira watched the crowd for anyone suspicious, but she turned to look at Idate when the announcer said his full name. Idate Morino? Morino... That was the name of their first proctor during the Chūnin exams. Were they related somehow?

Soon, the runners got into position, and Akira flickered out of sight and into the trees nearby. Immediately, she took on the appearance of a ninja she knew to be dead. She felt herself grow taller, her hair grow shorter. She was Akira Uchiha no longer. Instead, Fugaku Uchiha was going to be protecting Idate Morino. The bell rang and both runners departed. The Wagarashi runner went straight for the boats, but Idate made a hard left turn and kept running, heading towards the north. Soon, he and her team were out of sight, but Akira's gaze remained focused on the crowd. Moments later, a man with dark green hair stepped out and ordered a few other men away. She heard them go past her and she smiled, quietly following the men like a shadow.

After a while, the three men stopped moving and they observed Idate and Team Seven running north. Akira stopped a few meters away and listened in on their conversation. Moments later however, the eyes of Fugaku Uchiha widened as the trio of men removed their disguises. Akira recognised them from the second part of the Chūnin exams. It was Team Oboro, the three Amegakure ninja Kabuto Yakushi had helped them defeat after being caught in a genjutsu for hours. They would probably use genjutsu this time around too, seeing as they were good at it. Immediately, black eyes became red, and the Sharingan was awakened. Unfortunately, the trio split up. Though, one of them stayed behind and began performing handsigns of a very complex nature. Before long, Oboro had place one genjutsu over another. Akira dispelled them and swiftly knocked him out with a poison dart she'd thrown at him. It would only keep him under a few seconds, so Akira tightly tied him to a tree and stared at him until he woke up.

"Good morning," the voice of Fugaku Uchiha said, face stern.

"Who the hell are you?" Oboro said.

"None of your concern. Now, who are you working for? Of course, you're working for the Wagarashi, but who's giving the orders?" Akira asked, dropping her usual speech pattern.

"Like I'd ever tell you!" he shouted. Then he screamed as Akira threw a kunai into his shoulder.

"Still waiting."

"It's just for the money, all right! I have nothing against those little pricks - AGH!"

"Of course, you have something against them," Akira said, twisting the kunai in Oboro's shoulder. "The Chūnin exams were such a loss to you and your team. But that's beside the point. Who is the man with the green hair? I won't ask again."

"Go to hell!"

"Been there, done that. But I guess that's where I'll be sending you, now." Akira took out another kunai and pointed it at Oboro's head. "Last chance."

"Aoi Rokushō! His name is Aoi Rokushō!"

Without another word, Akira threw the kunai at the ninja's head, close enough for it to cut his ear. Seconds later, she was off again, following the other two men. They had gained a bit of time, but Akira soon caught up to them. It seemed that Idate had noticed the genjutsu, and she was sure than Sasuke and Sakura knew. However, did they know there were two of them layered over each other? Akira watched the two Amegakure ninja as they stared at their plan unfolding. But it didn't work. Idate was fooled by the second genjutsu and began running again, but Naruto caught him by the foot as he fell off a cliff. Unfortunately, he lost all of his ninja tools in the process. Akira clicked her tongue and rapidly moved forward, knocking both Amegakure ninjas heads together. They fell unconscious nearly immediately and Akira scoffed. Moments later, she was sitting on the roof of the Northern Port, waiting for everyone to arrive. It didn't take long, and she jumped down in front of Idate, who jumped back at the sight of the man in front of him. She dispelled her clone.

"What the-"

Within seconds, Akira had reverted back to her original form. Idate blinked a few times.

"Oh, it's just you."

"Yes, it is just me. Now go, the boat will not go itself!"

"Right."

Idate and the now complete Team Seven ran up to the boat and departed. The wind was pushing them forward, and the current was too. He might have been an arrogant prick, but Idate was smart to say the least. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura gathered around the back of the boat, where Akira was steering.

"Anything?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. Remember the three Hidden Rain ninja we met during the Chūnin exams? Well, they were hired by this man called Aoi Rokushō, who in turn was hired by the Wagarashi."

"Wait the three yellow suited weirdos we fought off with Kabuto?" Naruto asked.

"Yes. The genjutsu was their doing." Akira sighed. "I managed to hold them off for a little while, but they will most likely catch up to us. However, one of them is injured."

"What happened?" Sasuke asked.

"Interrogation."


	48. Sword of the Thunder God

The journey started off way to calmly. There was nothing but bright blue water below them and clear blue skies above. The wind was going in the right direction, and the current was pulling the boat forward even more, helping Idate and Team Seven gain on the Modoroki Shrine on Nagi Island. Akira just knew that something had to go wrong soon. Nothing could be this calm forever. Sakura came over to her.

"Hey, what do you think about Idate?"

"What do you mean?" Akira asked, looking over to the young man at the front of the boat.

"He's not just some ordinary kid."

"Well, no. I suspect he received training from a family member by the name of Ibiki Morino."

"Ibiki Morino?" Sakura contemplated. "Oh, yeah! Wasn't he the proctor of our first exam?"

"What'd you say?" Idate said, turning around. "M-My brother... he's alive?"

"Well of course he's alive! Why wouldn't he be?" Naruto said. "He threw us such a curve-ball at the tenth question in."

"Seriously, he's really alive then?"

Akira's head snapped towards a projectile heading towards Idate. Swiftly, she threw a shuriken at it, slicing it in half. The peace had ended. She tied the tiller to the boat so that it would stay on course for Nagi Island and she went to stand by Idate. A boat was approaching them, but there was no sign of anyone on it. Akira didn't let that dissuade her.

"Sasuke, Naruto, fend them off. Sakura and I will keep and eye on Idate!" Akira ordered.

"Right!" they all chorused, getting into position.

All of a sudden, a shower of arrows headed towards them, with each arrow having a rope attached to it. Akira's eyes narrowed. She recalled the abilities of the Amegakure ninja. The team leader tossed a kunai at Naruto.

"Naruto, cut the ropes!"

"You got it!"

As Naruto went over and cut all the ropes, the Amegakure found another way into the boat. Akira motioned for Idate to stand behind her, but he didn't listen, so she turned around and pushed him back, the red of the Sharingan staring straight at him. He recognised those eyes, everyone in Konoha did. Idate instantly backed off and let Akira do her job. All of a sudden, the Amegakure ninja began coming up through the floorboards of the boat. Akira's Sharingan could tell they were clones.

"Most of them are clones!" she shouted. "One hit will dispel them! Sasuke, behind you!"

"Same for you!"

Akira pushed Idate to the side and flung out both her Katana, clashing with Kagari's kunai. She swiftly disarmed him and hit him on the head with her Katana's hilt, then tossed him overboard with a kick. He reappeared beside Oboro in a flash.

"This sword kid is a pain. Let's switch to plan B, Kagari," Oboro said. "We'll kill them all, instead!"

Akira put her swords away the second Kagari nodded. Her pupils dilated and her hands followed the signs he was making. It was a water technique; right in her wheelhouse. As Sasuke and Naruto got rid of the clones, both Kagari's and Akira's bodies began secreting black flames and soon, it began to rain black. Akira gasped.

"Sasuke! Do not use any fire techniques! The rain is oil!"

"Got it!"

Kagari and Oboro growled at the Chūnin, but Mubi was laughing. He launched an arrow lit with fire and it hit the oil, setting the boat ablaze. Akira cursed and looked around, thinking.

"All right, everyone off!" Akira shouted.

"What!?" the others gasped.

"It is the only way! I will cover you all, just go!"

"No way I'm leaving you here!" Sasuke shouted.

Amidst the arguing, another arrow shot toward Idate. Without thinking, Sakura jumped in front of him, and it cut her shoulder.

"LEAVE NOW! THAT IS AN ORDER!"

Everyone jumped off the boat, including Akira. But she stayed behind, sending Chakra to her feet to stay afloat. The three Amegakure ninja laughed, seeing the girl all alone. However, Akira smiled as well. In quick succession, Akira performed multiple handsigns and breathed deeply.

"WATER WALL!"

All of a sudden, water rushed from the bottom of the ocean and rose up to an incredible height. Using her special ability, Akira made it rise higher. Although the three Amegakure ninja couldn't see her, Akira reached to her sides and, with a loud snapping sound, clapped her hands together once. The giant water wall suddenly collapsed and turned into a powerful wave, which ran straight for the enemy boat and crushed it to bits. The part of the wave that rushed towards her was deviated with her hands, as she 'danced' and cut it in half, parting the water like some sort of God. Slowly, she released it back down and checked the horizon for any signs of team Oboro. Nowhere in sight, Akira turned around and propelled her herself towards land, using her Chakra to manipulate the water into a wave she could surf on. She slowed down when she was beside three heads bobbing in the water.

"Akira!" Naruto cheered.

"Sakura, how is your wound?" Akira asked, ignoring Naruto.

"Oh, it's fine, really. I've had worse," the girl replied.

"All right. Where's Idate?"

"He must already be ashore," Sasuke said.

"Will you be all right if I go on ahead - to make sure he's all right?"

The three ninja nodded and Akira sped off again, zooming over water like she was a speedboat. She could see the island on the horizon getting closer, and soon, she was close enough to see Idate crawl up the rocky seaside of the island. However, she growled and sped up when she saw someone else was there with him. It couldn't have been Oboro, Mubi or Kagari, so it must have been Aoi Rokushō. All of a sudden, Akira saw a paper umbrella float into the air and Aoi's arm rise. She arrived just in time. Akira barely had time to jump in front of Idate before Aoi sent four razor sharp senbon his way. They embedded themselves in Akira's shoulder, and she stumbled to the ground instead of landing on her feet. She pulled them out and stood, facing Aoi with a stern face.

"Aoi Rokushō, I presume?" she said, sounding quite casual, as though there was no pain in her shoulder.

"Do you not feel pain, girl?" Aoi said, legitimately curious.

"I do. I have simply felt worse."

"Oh, the strong hero! You know, Fukusuke is about to arrive at Modoroki Shrine. Any chance our friend Idate had, is gone now."

Suddenly, Akira became dizzy and fell to her knees. It started to rain.

"Poison..." she whispered.

"Ah, yes. Works faster than most. Specially made in Amegakure," Aoi said.

"Idate, get out of... here."

Akira felt a wave of pain cross through her body and she swayed, falling sideways onto the muddy ground. Rain fell on her, soaking her clothes. Her eyes were closing. Everything was fading to black...

 _"Akira, come over here."_

 _The young girl nearly skipped over to her father as he sat at the dining room table, sipping on tea. She sat across from him and smiled. The man smiled back at her._

 _"How is it going at the academy?"_

 _"It is going great, Father! Sasuke and I are top of our class!"_

 _"I'm happy to hear that. Did you find out what natural affinities you had?"_

 _"Uh, yes. I did," Akira said. Her happy demeanor changed. She seemed almost scared now. "First, the paper wrinkled, then it softened because it was wet. That means-"_

 _"You have a natural affinity to both lightning and water," Fugaku said sternly, no longer smiling. "Akira, we are the Uchiha, a clan famed for its fire-based techniques. Lightning, is passable, but-"_

 _"But Father, what about Storm Release? It is a mix of lightning and water Chakra natures, and our great ancestor Madara Uchiha had it!"_

 _"Do not interrupt me, Akira!"_

 _"But I have seen the scrolls! It is a really powerful kekkei genkai - what if I have it? What if I will become as strong as Madara one day!?" Akira contested._

 _"Madara Uchiha was the reason our family is questioned all the time today!" Fugaku shouted. "He did questionable things and went against the First Hokage! It took Tobirama Senju to knock him down!"_

 _"I did not say I would become Madara Uchiha, Father. I said I would be as powerful as he was, and that it what I plan to do! I will be the strongest kunoichi I can be, and I will protect the Village Hidden in the Leaves and all of its people if it is the last thing I do!"_

Feeling slowly returned to her body, as if she'd just woken up from deep slumber. It was warm, and the light was dim. Akira sat up, but she was held back by Sakura. Idate was lying down too, apparently injured.

"What happened?" Akira asked.

"The senbon were poisoned," Sasuke said. "Sakura gave us all a pill, Aoi attacked us all. Idate is seriously hurt. He might not be able to keep running."

"Also, he secretly stole the Scroll of Sealing and the sword of the Second Hokage for Aoi because he thought he'd become a Chūnin," Naruto chuckled.

"Need I remind you, you did the same thing for Mizuki," Akira said, and Naruto immediately grew solemn. She turned to Idate. "Is that why you thought Ibiki was dead? Because of Aoi?"

Idate nodded and looked away. The Scroll of Sealing and the Sword of the Thunder God had been missing for years. Akira would get them back. Or at least the sword, since Aoi was likely to have it on him.

"All right, let us get moving," Akira said, standing up.

"What? But Akira, Idate can't move!" Sakura said.

"Then I will carry him. This race will be won by Idate. He made a promise."

"I'll carry him," Naruto said sternly. "I'll carry him until the end of the line."

Akira nodded, and Naruto picked up Idate, setting him down on his back. Then they all exited the cave they were in and ran through the rain, ignoring it as if it wasn't even there. Soon, they made it up to Modoroki Shrine, with everyone waiting for them. Both families had gathered there to see the runners. After climbing the stairs, everyone cheered. It seemed they all thought Idate had run off. To Akira's surprise, Fukusuke was just leaving, giving Idate a fighting chance. He jumped off of Naruto's back and ignored the pain, running straight for the jewels and then off to continue the race.

Idate was just about to cross the suspension bridge to Ouzo island when an electrical shock came out of nowhere and hit Idate straight in the chest. Akira hid in the bushes to plan an assault. It was Aoi, and he was holding metal handle into which a yellow beam of electricity retracted. It was the Sword of the Thunder God.

"Well, well, I have to say that I never thought you'd make it this far," Aoi said as he cut two of the ropes holding the bridge. Idate tried to run forward, but he only got electrocuted again. "Now why don't you stop that. You're no match for the Blade of the Thunder Spirit, the sword wielded by the Second Hokage himself. But then again, you know all about it, don't you Idate? After all, you're the one who stole it and brought it to me."

Akira threw half a dozen shuriken at Aoi from the bushes, and jumped out, holding what looked like wires. The shuriken embedded themselves into Aoi's umbrella. With one hand, Akira made the sign of the tiger and ignited the wires, sending a wave of fire at the Amegakure ninja. He threw his umbrella aside and calmly jumped out of the way.

"You are in the way, Aoi. And that sword does not belong to you," Akira stated aggressively.

"And you're gonna need more than an umbrella to dodge my attack!" Naruto said, suddenly showing up.

"Naruto," Akira said softly, "hit anything but the sword directly. It might be powerful, but it will break if hit with enough force. We need to bring it back to the village, so be careful, all right?"

"You got it! Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Multiple clones appeared from thin air, and Naruto put his hand behind him. Then, the clones began gathering Chakra in his hand, spinning it into a ball. Akira's eyes widened. This is what Master Jiraya had been teaching him this whole time: the Rasengan. Naruto ran at Aoi, intending to strike his stomach, but the Amegakure ninja blocked the attack with the sword. Akira winced. Another hit like that and the sword would crack.

"Ninja Art: Senbon Shower!"

From his back, Aoi pulled out another umbrella and threw it into the air. A rainstorm of senbon began falling, but Akira was quicker than them. She pulled the water from her gourd and spread it over herself, Idate and Naruto like her own umbrella. The senbon fell into the water and slowed, and Akira balled it with a hand motion, then sent it back towards Aoi. Shock drew itself across his face. He couldn't use the sword for this or the electricity would amplify the water style attack. Instead, he jumped out of the way again, but that left him wide open, and Naruto knew it. He summoned another bunch of clones and attacked Aoi with the Rasengan. While he did miss, it gave Akira the opportunity to charge up her attack. Both her Katana glowed just as bright as the Thunder Blade, and Aoi gaze didn't miss it. Just then, Sasuke arrived as well, charging up his Chidori.

"Don't touch the sword!" Akira shouted.

Sasuke nodded firmly, and they both launched themselves at Aoi. Sasuke's Chidori pierced the man's shoulder, whereas Akira's twin blades cut through Aoi's stomach like butter. Sakura ran over and kicked him for good measure, sending him flying down into the abyss beneath the suspension bridge. With a whip of water, Akira grabbed onto the Thunder Blade and stuffed it into the bottom of her bag so it wouldn't fall out.

"All right, no time to celebrate. We need to catch up to Fukusuke," Akira stated. "Move out!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" Idate said, chuckling.

Everyone smiled at him and they all broke into a run. They weaved through the forest and down the trail until they could see Fukusuke jogging up ahead. Akira smirked and made a hand sign. Soon, particles of water began clinging to every single one of them, creating a mirror-like shine, reflecting their surroundings. In other words, they were invisible. As soon as Idate rushed past Fukusuke, however, Akira released the jutsu. Everyone cheered at the sight of him, and they cheered even more when Idate crossed the finish line first. The entire crowd ran forward and cheered Idate's name, while Fukusuke collapse to the ground and sulked. However, as Idate was sent to stand at the center and be announced as the winner alongside Boss Jirōchō, the Tea Daimyō's* minister and the head of the Wagarashi family stepped forward.

"Hold on, that's enough!" Kyūroku Wagarashi shouted.

"Huh, Kyūroku?" Jirōchō muttered.

"It seems this kid rode on the back of a hired ninja for part of the way. That's a violation."

"What is he talking about?" Akira mumbled.

"I have proof! Just take a look at this photograph, huh," Kyūroku said, taking out a photograph of Naruto carrying Idate.

"They have to make it here by their own strength," the minister said. "Those are the rules of this race. The boy must be disqualified! Which means that Fukusuke Hikyakuya is the winner, and the Wasabi family must disband."

"It can't be!" Jirōchō said.

"Wait a minute, that's-"

"I'll hear none of your excuses!" the minister interrupted Idate. "A promise is a promise, Jirōchō."

"Just a minute," the actual Daimyō called, walking over. "There is no such rule. Stop talking nonsense."

"But, my Lord-"

"But what? Are you suggesting that I let the Wagarashi win just simply because you wish it?"

"No! Of course not!" the minister denied.

"Perhaps the reason you want to win so badly, is because it would mean an end to all the bribes you've been accepting."

The Daimyō pulled out a picture of his minister accepting a large sum of gold from someone.

"Oops. Looks like Kyūroku Wagarashi got caught with his his pants down," Akira chuckled.

"Akira! That sounds like something Kiba would say!" Sakura gasped. "I think you've been hanging out with him too much."

"Oh, shush. This is hilarious, and you know it."

In the end, it was the Wagarashi family that was disbanded, and the winner remained Idate Morino. The festivities lasted for a few hours, and no one was sad when they ended. By that time, the sun had died down a little, and the sky had turned shades of pink, orange and purple that put the most beautiful woman to shame. A boat had come for them, and Akira boarded immediately, heading below deck. A few minutes later, Akira came out with fresh clothes and a washed face. Idate was saying his goodbyes to Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jirōchō board the boat and make his way towards her. She turned to him and bowed.

"I cannot thank you enough, Akira, for leading your team and Idate to victory," he said.

"There is no need to thank me, I was simply doing my job, Boss Jirōchō," Akira replied.

"If there is ever anything the Land of Tea can do for the Leaf Village, it would be an honour."

Akira bowed one last time to the man, and he handed her their pay for the mission. She put it at the bottom of the bag and made a note to give it to Tsunade so that they Shizune could calculate the portion that went to the village. Akira looked down at Idate, and he waved her over.

"I wanted to thank you for your harsh words, Akira," Idate said.

"Yes, well, how else are people going to learn?" the girl joked.

"Also for your help. I would probably be dead if it weren't for you."

"Most likely. But it does not matter. I was simply doing what was required of me."

"I've come to gather the wounded."

Everyone turned to look at the boat. Standing at the edge was Ibiki Morino, and it was clear he was pretending to not recognise Idate. But Idate wasn't, and he called out to his brother. Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto made their way onto the boat, telling Ibiki there were no wounded and that he was misinformed. Akira placed a hand on Idate's shoulder, sympathetically, and walked back up to the boat.

"He has grown up well, has he not?" Akira commented as she passed Ibiki.

"Indeed he has."

* * *

It was late at night when Akira and the rest of Team Seven arrived in Konohagakure. Ibiki left them to their own devices and disappeared in a flash. Akira looked up at the stars and smiled. They were back home - in one piece. Akira had successfully accomplished her first mission as a team leader. Her final act as leader was to dismiss everyone and send them home to get some well deserved rest. In the meantime, Akira still had things to do. She made her way towards towards the Academy, and entered the Hokage's office. To her surprise, Tsunade was still there.

"Akira," Tsunade said, mildly surprised. "How did the mission go?"

"It was accomplished without my team or the clients getting injured," Akira said simply.

"So it escalated?"

"It did. I will put it all in my report, I just need the paperwork." Tsunade handed her a notebook. "Is this my log book, now?"

"Yes, it is. You've finally earned it after your first mission."

"Also, this is for Shizune to divide."

Akira dropped the bag of Ryō onto the Hokage's desk.

"There was also something else I pulled off an enemy."

"He's dead?" Tsunade said, sounding mildly surprised once again/

"He got a Chidori and two swords to his torso, plus he was kicked into a swirling pool of water," Akira said in a matter-of-fact sort of tone. "If he is not dead it is because someone brought him back."

"What is it you took?"

Akira pulled out the inactive Sword of the Thunder God. Tsunade's eyes widened as she looked at the blade. She was smart enough not to attempt to open it or use it. She looked back up at Akira.

"It was in the possession of one Aoi Rokushō. He tricked a young boy by the name of Idate Morino into stealing it three years ago. He since defected and joined the Amegakure troops. As for Idate, he was the boy we were sent to protect. Good kid. I hope his actions will not be held against him should he ever return to Konoha since he was coerced?"

"No, they won't. I'll send a letter to the Land of Tea in the morning," Tsunade said. She looked at the sword. "What do you expect me to do with this?"

"It belongs to the Second Hokage. I assume it would go with the other artifacts people are not supposed to steal."

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Akira echoed, confused. "I just gave you my opinion on the matter."

"I'm asking you if you would like to keep it." Tsunade explained.

"I cannot. As I said, it belongs to the Second Hokage. Technically, all of his possessions go to family upon his death. You are the granddaughter of the First Hokage, which means the Second was your Granduncle. The Sword of the Thunder God belongs to you, by inheritance."

"Look at your hands, Akira," Tsunade said. Akira glanced at the lightning-like scars that spread from her fingertips to her elbows. "The jutsu you created is powerful, but it has its drawbacks. This sword only works properly for someone who's natural affinity is with lightning, or someone who's really good at lightning style jutsu."

"What is your point, Lady Tsunade?"

"I am both the owner of this sword, as well as your doctor," Tsunade said. "I give it to you as both a gift, and a medical recommendation. I also happen to be Hokage, so refusing a gift from me is akin to a crime."

Akira sighed and bowed to the Hokage, retrieving the sword from her. Tsunade stood and went over to a pile of papers, fetching a few documents. She handed them to Akira, then went over to her bookshelf full of scrolls. Tsunade pulled one out and gave it to Akira as well.

"The documents will help you in writing your report. Figured they'd be useful since this is your first one," the woman said. "The scroll is just as prized as that sword, and will tell you how to use it properly and what you can do with it. Once you've studied it, I expect it to be returned to this office."

"Of course, Lady Tsunade," Akira said, bowing deeply. She rose and continued, "I cannot thank you enough for this. I swear to you that I will take good care of it."

"I know you will, Akira... I know."

* * *

*Daimyō: (in feudal Japan) one of the great lords who were vassals of the shogun


	49. Sasuke vs Naruto

Sasuke ended up going to the infirmary anyway. Akira suspected it was his overuse of the Chidori and the strain it put on his body, especially with Orochimaru's unmastered Curse Mark. It was Akira that found her brother, limp on the floor, nearly incapable of moving, after she'd returned from the Hokage's office, paperwork in hand. She didn't sleep much that night. Rather, she spent it writing up three pages of report which she'd copy down in her own manner on the pages of her log book after. When she wasn't writing, Akira was watching over Sasuke or reading, studying the Thunder Blade scroll like she was back in the academy. Aoi had been wrong. The sword was just a tool, albeit a powerful one, but it required a specialised hand to use it. Akira would have to work hard to master it. She silently thanked Tsunade as she stared at her hands. The Hokage was right; Inazuma was incredibly powerful, but it caused too much damage to herself when done a little bit wrong. With the Sword of the Thunder God, she could do so many things - so many better things - and without getting injured.

Morning had come faster than anticipated. Akira was just about to nod off when Sakura entered the room with a white rose in hand. Both teammates smiled at each other as Sakura placed the flower in a vase near the window sill. It seemed that the scuffling woke up Sasuke, whose eyes opened and looked around. Upon seeing his sister, he seemed to get angry. Akira couldn't seem to understand why.

"The doctors say you just over-strained yourself. Your injuries could have been much worse considering what we went through yesterday," Sakura said. "Naruto stopped by. He was relieved that it was just strain, too."

At the mention of Naruto's name, Sasuke seemed to get even angrier. His fists balled up and bunched up his blanket. Akira sighed. Now she knew. Naruto had the stamina of twelve people, and the fact he could keep going after all that angered Sasuke. Why could the knucklehead keep going, but not Sasuke Uchiha? And as for Akira? Well, anytime he felt his sister getting superior he became like this. It was dangerous too. The anger he felt right now would only tempt the Curse Mark on his neck. Akira glanced at it. Unlike hers, it still carried the ring seal around the mitsudomoe.

"So uh, you both must be hungry, right?" Sakura said, pulling Akira from her thoughts. "Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll go get it for you guys."

"I will go with you. I know what he likes," Akira said upon standing.

"Are you sure? It looks like you didn't sleep all night!"

"I did not, but I can still function. This happens to me often."

"Oh, all right, then."

Sakura and Akira exited the hospital side by side. Sakura was talking animatedly about something and Akira simply listened, occasionally stringing a few words together. They stopped by one of the local restaurants and ordered food to go. Sakura paid for her anmitsu and Sasuke's onigri, while Akira ordered the same dango she had with Kakashi sensei a few weeks prior. On their way back, Sakura and Akira passed Yakiniku Q where Asuma-sensei, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino were eating their fill of barbecued pork.

"Is it not a bit late for celebrating Shikamaru's promotion?" Akira chuckled, sticking her head through the window.

"Hey, Akira," Shikamaru greeted.

"Well, well, Shikamaru didn't tell me you were promoted to Chūnin, Akira," Asuma-sensei said.

"He didn't tell us either!" Ino said, offended.

"It is of no importance. You know now," Akira said.

"What do you mean it's of no importance?" Sakura jumped in. "Akira just lead Kakashi-sensei's team in a mission while he was away! She was great!"

"Already your first mission down? Heh, I'm impressed," Asuma said in approval.

"I was just doing my job," Akira chuckled, her face flushed. "Nothing special, honestly. Anyway, we have to get going. See you later, Shikamaru?"

"Yeah, catch you later, kid."

Akira and Sakura made their way back to the hospital, food in hand. They weaved through the crowds of people until they were inside the infirmary. Suddenly, Naruto appeared out of nowhere and announced himself as loudly as he usually did. They were all in front of Sasuke's room.

"Akira thought it best to get you some onigri, Sasuke," Sakura said as they all entered the room. She set the food on the side table and began looking for something. "That's weird. I wonder where I put those chopsticks I had before..."

"They're right in front of you, Sakura," Naruto laughed. "You're so lame. Getting all scatterbrained just 'cause you're around Sasuke!"

"Hey, why do you have to say things like that! Jeez, Naruto, will you knock it off already?"

"Okay, okay, don't hit me!"

"Behave, children," Akira sighed, beginning to eat.

"There you go, Sasuke," Sakura said, holding out his food.

Out of nowhere, Sasuke slapped it out of Sakura's hands, sending it flying. Akira looked up and glared at her brother, while Naruto yelled at the food landing all over him. Sakura simply stared at him, wide-eyed and terrified.

"What is your problem, Sasuke?" Akira said in a dangerously low tone of voice.

Sasuke turned to look at her and Naruto, the most intimidating glare he could muster on his face.

"What's with that look?" Naruto asked. "You have to glare at me, like that!"

"You, Naruto... Akira..."

"Yeah, we're listening."

"I want you to fight me, fight me now!"

"This is outrageous. There will be no fighting!" Akira shouted, rising from her seat.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sasuke shouted back.

"I will tell you whatever I want, Sasuke, I do not take orders from you. However, I happen to be your superior officer now, and I expect you to show a little respect!"

"Besides, we're in a hospital. You were just patched up by Grandma Tsunade," Naruto added.

"Shut up and fight!" The Sharingan woke up in Sasuke's eyes. "Do you really think you saved me!? I don't care if she's the Fifth Hokage, you shouldn't have involved her in this!"

"What?" Naruto growled.

Sasuke jumped out of bed, barefoot, red eyes staring into Naruto's blue ones.

"After all, you did say you wanted to get some fighting in," Sasuke said, recalling Naruto's words at the tea house a few days earlier. "Well, now it looks like you've got your chance. That is unless... you've chickened out?"

Akira went to stand in front of Naruto, blocking Sasuke's path. She looked at him, eyes cold and indifferent, though you could clearly see she was annoyed. She readjusted her flak jacket and crossed her arms over her chest.

"There will be no fighting, Sasuke," Akira stated calmly. "If you insist on fighting, I will have to stop you. Do you want me to stop you, Sasuke? Do you want to give me a chance at overpowering you again?"

"This is crazy!" Sakura said, panicked. "You guys, calm down!"

"Actually, this is perfect. I was just thinking about how much I wanted to kick your butt!" Naruto shouted, smirking.

All of a sudden, both ninja flashed out of the room. Akira took a deep, agonizing breath and growled. She took out a bit of parchment and wrote a few words on it, before summoning a small snake. Akira give the message to the snake and sent it off, before calmly making her way to the roof, where Sasuke and Naruto were mostly likely located. Sakura followed her, breaths rapid and shallow. She was nervous. And she had the right to be. If those two were to actually fight, one of them would die; neither the Rasengan nor the Chidori are forgiving jutsu. Akira blinked and awoke the Sharingan, then pulled out the Sword of the Thunder God from one of her flak jacket pouches.

"The Blade of the Thunder Spirit!" Sakura gasped. "I thought you were going to give it to Lady Tsunade."

"I did. She gave it back to me. Something about a medical recommendation."

Sakura looked at Akira's scarred hands and silently agreed with the Hokage. Her look of fear returned as they climbed the staircase that lead to the roof. Akira knew what she was thinking. Sasuke had the same look he had in the Forest of Death, the time the Curse Mark took over, and hatred ran through Sasuke's veins. Sakura had the right to be afraid. If Akira wasn't a Chūnin, and had the right to be afraid, she would be in the same state as Sakura.

Akira pushed open the door to the roof. Sasuke and Naruto were standing off, yelling at each other. Akira looked over at the city, silently hoping her message got here in time. If she was the one who interrupted this, Akira could be seriously injured.

"It looks like you picked a fight with me and now you're too scared to go through with it!" Naruto taunted. "Is that it?"

"Let's just do this!" Sasuke shouted.

"Put on your headband and we will. I'll wait."

"Not to worry. I don't need that thing."

"Just do it, come on!"

"There's no reason to put it on," Sasuke scoffed. "'Cause you won't be able to make a scratch on my forehead."

"That's not the point!" Naruto growled. "Come on! You know putting you headband on is a testament to fighting on equal terms as a Leaf shinobi."

Akira's eyes narrowed. Naruto was fighting for honour. If Sasuke didn't put on his headband, there was serious trouble.

"There you go, acting all high and mighty again!" Sasuke complained. "You don't honestly think that we're equals?"

Akira took a step forward, hand gripping the Thunder Blade tighter.

"Heck yeah, I do! All this time, and not once did I think I was inferior to you in any way!" Naruto shouted.

"You're a complete embarrassment!" Sasuke countered.

"Only because next to me, you're embarrassed at how weak you are! Isn't that right, Sasuke!?"

Both of them launched themselves at each other, but they caught each other's fists. Sasuke attempted to kick Naruto, but he caught his leg and swung him around. Sasuke put his hands to the ground and flipped, kicking Naruto in the face. Naruto came back at him without hesitation, trying to punch him again, but Sasuke grabbed his arm and tossed him aside. Sasuke sent a volley of punches at Naruto, but he blocked them all, except the last one, which sent him crashing to the ground. Then Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke. It was only a Shadow Clone. Sasuke looked around for Naruto, but he came down at him from the top of the water tower and punched Sasuke straight in the jaw.

"Don't get cocky and let your guard down!" Sasuke shouted, bouncing back off a fence and returning the punch to Naruto.

Naruto landed on his feet, but couldn't dodge the other punch and kick from Sasuke. He was backed up against the fence, and Sasuke just kept punching him. As Akira was about to intervene, Naruto finally kicked Sasuke back.

"I've had just about enough of this!" he yelled.

Both Naruto and Sasuke faced each other, panting, starting to get tired out. Naruto spawned over fifty clones on the rooftop, and Akira got lost in them. Even the Sharingan couldn't tell the difference between Real Shadow Clones and the ninja. They all launched themselves at Sasuke, and Sasuke kicked or punched them all out of the way using the special martial arts of the Uchiha clan. He was quick on his feet, and it almost looked like a dance. Three clones managed to get through and kick Sasuke upwards, with a fourth one surprising him from above. However, Sasuke was already halfway through handsigns and flipped over, blowing fire all over the clones on the ground. Akira stepped in front of Sakura and used her water to create a shield, protecting them from the heat of Sasuke's jutsu. From the fire came a ball of air that had protected Naruto. Himself and another clone had managed to make the Rasengan, a jutsu that Sasuke hadn't seen yet. It caught him off guard, and so Sasuke prepared a Chidori. Akira's eyes widened and she returned the water to her gourd. Just then, Sakura, panicked, ran forward to try and stop them. Akira reached out, but her arm slipped through her fingers.


	50. Sound Ninja Four

Akira ran forwards as well. Her feet pounded the ground, propelling her forwards as fast as she could to catch up to Sakura. If she got caught between Sasuke and Naruto, she would die. Akira's hand reached out, she was close enough to grab her dress, and so she did, tugging it downward so that they both went crashing down to the ground. Akira expected her to be too late. Sasuke and Naruto would destroy each other. But the impact never came. Akira lifted her head a little and she breathed a sigh of relief. The message had arrived in time, and Kakashi-sensei was there to stop the boys from killing each other. He grabbed them by the arms and flung them into water towers, their jutsu hitting them full-on.

Kakashi-sensei helped Akira and Sakura up. The Chūnin adjusted her clothes and went to stand beside her sensei, placing the Sword of the Thunder God back into her pocket. Kakashi seemed to notice the object, as well as the new jutsu Naruto had learned from Jiraya.

"What do you two think you're doing up here?" Kakashi said, sounding annoyed. "That was a little intense for just a sparring match, wasn't it? What's wrong with you two?"

Naruto's jutsu had created a small crater and hole upon impact, whereas Sasuke's Chidori had completely demolished the front of the water tower; his arms was stuck inside, and when he pulled it out, a large gush of water followed. Akira sighed and explained what happened. Kakashi stepped towards Sasuke.

"What were you thinking? Were you really going to kill him, Sasuke?" he demanded. "You really have to watch this sense of superiority you have." Sasuke scoffed. "That Chidori. It wasn't the size you aim at a comrade from the Leaf Village. When are you going to finally grow up, Sasuke? You realise that this should have never happened? Akira, a superior officer, told you to knock it off."

Sasuke huffed and glared at Naruto, then his sister, before jumping over the fence and disappearing. It was only then he saw that the entire back of the water tower Naruto landed in, was completely gone and busted wide open. Akira turned to her sensei.

"I think Itachi coming back caused this," she said barely above a whisper. "He has been angrier ever since. Never satisfied with his progress, or always looking to Naruto for comparison. Even me at times."

"Do you think this is a problem?" Kakashi-sensei asked her.

"Yes. I also think the jutsu he knows are a problem as well." Akira held up a hand to silence her sensei. "At the time, it was a good idea. But with Naruto learning the Rasengan... You can blame _him_ for that."

Both Kakashi and Akira looked down to the base of the water tower. Master Jiraya was standing there, arms crossed and seemingly deep in thought.

"You don't think Naruto is a little young to be handling that jutsu?" Kakashi asked. "After all, he could've killed Sasuke. I know you want to protect him from the Akatsuki, but still... to entrust him with a jutsu like that?"

"Aren't you a fine one to talk," Jiraya replied. "Teaching the Chidori to someone like Sasuke and not knowing another one of your students was training with Orochimaru? You're lucky Akira is level-headed, because I knew he was a hothead, but I never thought Sasuke would be willing to use a jutsu that powerful against a comrade. Obviously, there's bad blood between Sasuke and Naruto, but where the hell does it come from?"

"You missed the part where Sasuke also asked me to fight him," Akira said calmly, looking down at Sakura. She was crying. "To Naruto, Sasuke is a rival and a comrade at the same time, just like Kiba and I, some would say. In fact, it is the competition between them that keeps Naruto going. That is why he will not stand for it when Sasuke belittles him. He has been right on Sasuke's heels every inch of the way, ever since the academy. As far as Naruto is concerned, what Kakashi-sensei thinks or what you think mean nothing to him. There is only one person whose approval he cares about.

"On the other hand, it is hard for Sasuke to watch Naruto's strength and skills develop at such an astonishing rate. He's come along so fast, and Sasuke must be feeling like he is at a standstill. Sasuke can't acknowledge Naruto or else, in some way, he would be diminishing himself. Naruto has something powerful driving him on, and so does Sasuke. But..."

"But what?" Kakashi-sensei asked.

"Let us leave Master Jiraya with Naruto," Akira said, avoiding the question. She jumped down and faced Sakura. "They will be okay, Sakura. Soon enough, they will be back to normal."

Sakura smiled a little and Akira offered a small hug, something she'd never done to the pink-haired girl before. Then she left down the side of the hospital building and began walking down the alleys. Moments later, Kakashi-sensei had joined her.

"Sasuke has always held a lot of hatred for Itachi, or everything in general," Akira explained. "Revenge is what has been driving him ever since Itachi massacred our family, and if I am being honest with you, I think the Curse Mark is making it worse."

"But it's been sealed off," Kakashi-sensei said. "It shouldn't be acting up."

"Mine has not been sealed for months, Sensei, and I am all right. I think the fact that the Curse Mark is on him, but thinks it is unattainable power, is making him angry. Yes, the Curse Mark most likely feeds the anger he already has, but I think the fact that he wants to use it, but can't is driving him mad, as well." Akira stopped and turned to her sensei. "I have been using the power of the Curse Mark on and off for the past few months, and it hasn't pained me since I first started learning how to keep it in check."

"Akira..."

"No, think about it! It is incredibly dangerous, yes, as I think there is a second level to this Curse Mark-"

"A second level? What're you talking about?"

"When Orochimaru told me that I had mastered the control of his Curse Mark, he mentioned something about acquiring more power. I could not do anything more with the Mark that I had, so I could only assume I could take it to a second level."

"You don't think that maybe that's why Orochimaru wanted you and Sasuke in the first place? To get to that second level?" Kakashi-sensei suggested. "Think for a second, Akira. If there is a second level to this, that means more power. What does Sasuke want more than ever these days?"

"Power... You do not think that he would-"

Akira cut herself off and her midnight blue eyes grew wide as saucers. Of course he would. Sasuke would stop at nothing to gain power, to be able to take revenge on Itachi and avenge his clan. She didn't waste any time in running of to find Sasuke, but Kakashi caught up to her and stopped her, holding her by the shoulders. He could see the rapid rise and fall of her chest, the panic in her eyes. Sasuke was all she had left, and she had no intention of losing him.

"Sensei! Sensei we have to go find him!" Akira pleaded.

"We'll find him, don't worry. And when we do, I'll have a little chat with him and then you can keep an eye on him," Kakashi reassured her. "All right?"

Akira nodded and followed Kakashi around town until they got a location on Sasuke, mind silently panicking very second longer it took. When they did find him, Akira and Kakashi tied him down to the tree he was sitting on. They both dropped down in front of him. Akira noticed he was in the same clothes as this morning. He hadn't bothered to go home and change after the ordeal with Naruto. She was relieved however. He wasn't gone, or captured. He was safe. Kakashi noticed her instant change in demeanor.

"What's with all this?" Sasuke said angrily.

"Sorry, but I knew you wouldn't want to sit still and listen so I had to pin you down," Kakashi explained. "You know, you gotta forget about revenge."

"What!?"

"Believe me, in this line of work, I've met a lot of guys who feel the same as you do. Trust me, for those who follow the path of revenge... it never ends well. You'll only tear yourself apart, and the ones closest to you as well." Kakashi glanced at Akira. "And even if you succeed, and you get your revenge, what will you have then? Nothing. Emptiness."

"Shut up!" Sasuke snarled. "What makes you think you know anything about it? It's easy for you to talk, you have no idea!"

"Easy..." Kakashi warned both Akira and Sasuke. "Just try to calm down."

Her fists had balled, angry at her brother. He couldn't simply assume things like that about others. What if Kakashi-sensei did know what it was like to lose the people you love. What if that was the reason she found him staring at the memorial stone on occasion?

"Maybe if I was to kill the most important people in your life, everyone who's ever meant anything, maybe then I'd listen to you! Because maybe then you'd have some idea how I feel!"

"Sasuke!" Akira whispered harshly.

"Well, it's an interesting theory. But I'm afraid you're a little late to put it to the test. Everyone you're talking about has already been killed," Kakashi said, smiling.

"Kakashi-sensei..." Akira whispered, looking sadly at the man.

"I've been around longer than you, kid, and I've seen my share of troubles. You're not the only one to know what it's like to lose somebody." Sasuke looked down, ashamed. "So, it looks that neither of us here has lead a charmed life. Still, we're not all that bad off. At least we three have been lucky enough to find new comrades to fill the void," Kakashi said, setting his hand on Akira's head. He smiled down at her. "Anyway, I do know how you feel. With the Chidori, you've been granted a gift of awesome power. But it's not a gift to be used against your comrades or to seek vengeance. I think, in your heart of hearts, you know what it's for... Okay, end of lecture. Akira, you staying?"

"Yeah, if that is all right with you."

Kakashi-sensei nodded and ruffled her hair before disappearing. Akira sighed and looked at her brother. She sat down beside him without a word. They sat together in silence and didn't move. Sasuke kept him arms around his knees, looking at his feet, while Akira looked on at the setting sun. She watched the sun go from the middle of the bright blue sky, descend into the pale pinks and oranges of a sunset, and settle down beyond the horizon, turning the sky dark blue and speckled with sparkling stars. And just as the clouds revealed a full moon, Akira could see four figures in front of it on their way towards herself and Sasuke. She and Sasuke stood at the same time they landed.

They were an odd looking bunch, all wearing different variations of the same tunic. It was pale grey, with a completely white yin-yang symbol on the hem, and a large purple rope tied into an inverted bow around their waists. The shortest was a girl with long, untamed pink hair that fell past her shoulders, with parted bangs that framed her face and one between her eyes. Akira could have easily mistaken her as a boy. Her brown eyes were expressionless. The one beside her was fair-skinned and had straight, silvery grey hair with long bangs that covered an eye. Akira glanced a bit to his side and she noticed another head protruding from the first one's neck. It was hanging limply, hair covering its face, and she wondered if it was a twin. The one beside the dual-headed man had dark skin, black eyes and six arms, reminding Akira of a spider. The last one was simply large, the largest of the group. He had fair skin and narrow, slanted orange eyes, as well as three tufts of hair of his head: a Mohawk of sorts that ran down the middle of his head, and two similar ones that ran on the sides. Akira noticed they all had the same forehead protector. The four of them were from Otogakure, which meant that these were Orochimaru's ninja.

"All right, out with it!" Sasuke said impatiently. "Who are you?"

"We're the Sound Ninja Four," the man with six arms said. "I'm Kidōmaru, of the East Gate."

"And I'm Sakon of the West Gate," the one with two heads said.

"I am Jirōbō of the South Gate," the large man said.

"And I'm Tayuya of the North Gate," the girl said, completing the introductions.

"Orochimaru's dogs, I presume," Akira said, glaring at them all.

Kidōmaru chuckled and smiled at Akira, which prompted her to take out her newest acquisition, the Sword of the Thunder God. They all narrowed their eyes at it, even Sasuke, who didn't know she had it until now. Last time she'd taken it out, he was too busy fighting Naruto to have noticed. Akira spun it in her hand, like she did with her Katana, and the bright yellow electricity flowed out with a buzzing sound. She pointed it at Kidōmaru.

"Try your best."


	51. A Soul to Save

****All right, Shinobi and Kunoichi! The voting for the poll is closing after I post the next chapter, so hurry your butts up and vote. Keep in mind that I'm taking the median between my poll here and on my other website (Quotev), so the results that are here might not be the ones that will stay in the end! Anywho, happy reading!****

* * *

Neither the Sound Four or the Uchiha twins waited for very long before attacking each other. Sakon was first to attack, and while Akira did what she did best - hang back and observe - Sasuke went and jumped right in without much thought. They exchanged a few quick blows and they faced each other off, glaring at each other. Akira blinked slowly and awakened her Sharingan, expecting some dirty tricks on the Sound Four's part. The blue lipstick on Sakon's face drew itself in to an evil smile.

"Come on kids, I'm waiting," he taunted. "I wanna play do-re-mi on those ribs of yours 'til they crack!"

Sasuke and Sakon dashed at each other. Sakon tried to kick Sasuke, but the latter took out wires and tied them around Sakon's legs, preventing much of his movement... Or so he thought. Sasuke went to deliver a series of blows, but they were all blocked. All of a sudden, though Sasuke and Akira thought he was pinned, Sakon shouted, 'do' and Sasuke went flying back, specks of blood falling from his mouth. Akira's pupils dilated and analysed the movements, but it couldn't have been right. She saw two extra arms fly out and punch Sasuke. But when she blinked, they were nowhere to be seen. Sakon shouted the next note, and Sasuke went flying back again. Sakon's hands remained firmly in place, but Akira kept seeing a pair of arms hit Sasuke.

"Hm, your bones ring with a nice low tone," Sakon said. "Why don't we switch to a sharper reverberation?"

Akira's eyes flicked to her right. Both she and Sasuke jumped out of the way as Kidōmaru came out of nowhere. From his mouth came sticky webs, like a spider, and they launched themselves towards the twins. Akira swung the Lightning Chakra-blade at the webs and cut through them easily, which surprised Kidōmaru, but they attached themselves to Sasuke, as his kunai wasn't enough to cut through. He flung Sasuke around a bit and then released him, sending the boy straight towards a tree. Akira ran at him, but was knocked back by Jirōbō, who also slammed Sasuke away. He landed somewhere nearby, but Akira was headed straight for Sakon.

"I think we'll go for a mi-fa-so combination, now," he said, as Akira approached.

When she was close enough, Sakon lunged forward and went to hit Akira, but the girl dodged with incredible speed. Now underneath him, Akira kicked Sakon upwards with all her might. Milliseconds later, both Sasuke and Akira were above him, kicking him down one kick at a time until he crashed into a nearby roof. However, Akira's mind went fuzzy for a minute, immediately telling her that Genjutsu was being used. However, Akira wasn't fast enough to release herself from it, and moments later she found herself being held back by Tayuya, with Sasuke dangling from his ankle in Sakon's hand.

"Huh. What does Lord Orochimaru want with these kids anyway? I don't see what the big deal is," Sakon said. "Kimimaro would have been much better. Ah well, you spend all your life in a dump of a village like this place and you'll turn out mediocre at best. Never realising your full strength."

Akira stared at Sakon. Even after all those kicks, which were most definitely successful, he didn't seem to have taken an ounce of damage from them.

"If you just keep playing ninja with all of your friends, you'll continue to rot on the vine."

"You're acting like fools," Tayuya said, struggling to keep Akira in check. "You should come with us. Lord Orochimaru offers you power!"

For the first time in months, Akira's Curse Mark burned, sending a burst of pain throughout her body.

"There's no point in taking you by force. You have to decide."

"This is turning out to be a real pain," Sakon sighed. "Let's go! What's it gonna be? Are you in, or out?"

Sasuke and Akira were thrown to the same wall, crashing so hard their bodies dented it.

"This runt makes me wait any longer I'm gonna ring his neck!"

"Try it. I dare you."

Akira's cool demeanor wasn't one usually associated with the first stages of the Curse Mark, especially not as she activated it willingly and with such ease. The black flame-like markings spread throughout her body and she stood, red-eyed and cold. Her left hand was clutching one of her Katana and the other still firmly held onto the Sword of the Thunder God.

"Ah, the Curse Mark," Sakon said. "Kinda hurts doesn't it?"

"Not at all. Sorry to hear it causes you discomfort," Akira replied in a terrifyingly polite tone.

All of a sudden, an out of control Sasuke ran at Sakon, but he was knocked back with ease, even though he too had the Curse Mark. Akira looked up and nearly gasped. He too had a Curse Mark, and it spread across Sakon's body in curved lines made of blotches. It was placed over his right eye, underneath the hair that so conveniently hid it. Akira made her Mark recede. If Sakon had one, the others did too, and while she had more control over it than Sasuke, she doubted she could use it the same way the Sound Four could.

"Wise choice," Sakon said. "Come on, you didn't think that you were Lord Orochimaru's only pets, did you?" Sakon placed his hair back. "One shouldn't use the Curse Mark so carelessly, kid, though it seems you have better control over it than your dear brother. Did someone teach you how to master it?"

"Yes. Your own dear Lord Orochimaru," Akira said, much to everyone's surprise. "Of course, I simply knew him as Maru-sama, a Jōnin of Otogakure."

"Akira..."

"Do not 'Akira' me, Sasuke. Who did you think I was training with while you were training with Kakashi-sensei?"

"Lord Orochimaru did say you would be more of a hassle to deal with," Tayuya said, clearly annoyed. "Look, in exchange for the Curse's power, you will be tethered to Lord Orochimaru. All semblance of freedom will be lost to you. To gain one thing, another must me left behind. Think. What is your purpose in this life? To stay in this backwater village, hiding with your little friends?"

Akira's hands balled into fists, but she had to remain calm. Bursting out towards them to attack was not the ideal plan at the moment. If they let her go, to make her decision, she had to go to Kakashi-sensei. For now, she'd tolerate their insults toward her village.

"You mustn't lose sight of your purpose," Sakon added. "Life in this village is no more than shackles to you! Sever your ties to this pathetic place. If you can do that, there will be no limit to the power you can wield."

"Remember your purpose!"

All four ninja jumped off, disappearing into a flutter of leaves in front of the moon. Akira stood, fists balled and quite angry. They couldn't just insult her village like this. They spoke of her purpose, but what did they know? They insulted her purpose. They insulted her. The power was tempting, but not tempting enough after this. However, as Akira looked at her brother, she frowned, thinking. Looking at Sasuke, as angry as he was, it wasn't hard to guess he was going to follow Orochimaru and the Sound Four, and Akira doubted that she could stop him. No manner of wording could convince Sasuke otherwise. Nothing could stop him from getting his revenge on Itachi.

"Don't leave without me," Akira muttered, and as soon as she did, she was gone.

The girl silently ran through the streets, on top of roofs and landed on a specific balcony, though you would think she picked a random one at the pace she was going. Akira stepped off the railing and knocked on the glass door. Moments later, Kakashi-sensei opened up, slightly disheveled, most likely waking up from sleep. He wasn't wearing his headband or bandanna, or his flak jacket for that matter. Akira thought it odd seeing him this way. He looked at her, one eye closed.

"You should not open your doors so readily to me, Sensei," Akira told Kakashi, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

"When someone knocks on my door at four in the morning, I consider it urgent," Kakashi replied lazily.

"That is true. But in the future you should refrain from doing so."

"Akira, you're about to do something ill-advised, aren't you?"

Akira sighed and ran her hand across her face. Kakashi could see the interior battle she was having, and usually he didn't see things like this happening with Akira. Most times, she was sure of all her decisions. This couldn't be good.

"I... I have to keep Sasuke safe, Sensei."

"What happened?" Kakashi stepped closer to her, holding Akira by the shoulders. "Akira?"

"Four of Orochimaru's men came to see us."

Kakashi finally looked at Akira properly, and only now did he notice the scuff marks on her clothes, the bruises on her legs and the dried blood on her lower lip.

"They want Sasuke and I to go with them willingly, and I cannot convince Sasuke not to go. He has lived his entire life for revenge on Itachi, and he will not let anyone take that away from him," Akira explained, looking down at her feet. She refused to meet Kakashi's gaze. "And it is like you said before, I must protect Sasuke at all costs."

"You can't be serious!? Akira look at me!"

Akira's head slowly turned upwards so that Kakashi could see the streams of tears falling from her eyes. They fell gently, as if there was still something trying to hold them back, and these were just leaks in the dam. She didn't want to cry. Crying was weakness and she wasn't weak, but there was no way of stopping it.

"I do not want to go, Kakashi-sensei. But I must. I must protect Sasuke," the girl sobbed. "Tell Naruto and Sakura that."

"I won't tell them anything, you're staying here, and that's final! That's an or-"

"Do not say it, Sensei." Akira backed away from Kakashi. "Consider this my mission instead. Please, Sensei. Order me to protect Sasuke at all costs. This way, I will not truly be abandoning you."

"Akira, I can't give you missions like this, you know that. We can go see Lady Tsunade and get this approved," Kakashi tried to reason, taking a step back towards Akira.

"It is your responsibility as squad leader to protect your comrades at all costs!" Akira shouted, tears falling freely from her eyes. "And if you cannot, you send your most able ninja! You must protect Sasuke. Send me! Send me to save my brother!"

The anguish on the girl's face broke Kakashi's heart. The sobs he could hear coming from her mouth wrenched his heart. Nothing about this situation made either of them happy. This shouldn't have even been happening. How could Sasuke do this to his sister, Kakashi thought. He knew that Akira would do anything for him, even leave the village when she swore to protect it. Why did he force her to make that decision? What kind of person willingly robs someone of their happiness?

"Please, Kakashi-sensei, I am begging you... Let me protect my brother."

"Akira..."

Kakashi sighed as Akira looked at him. The pain in her eyes was hard to witness.

"You have a new mission. Protect your brother... at any cost."

"Thank you... Kakashi," Akira said with a bow.

Hearing Akira say his name without any honourifics didn't sound right in Kakashi's ears, especially in this context. But he had not dreamt it. She had stripped him of his title as her sensei. He watched her as she removed her father's Leaf Village head protector and her flak jacket. She turned back to him.

"You are free to send people to fetch me when you notify the Hokage of this," Akira sighed. "I would hope that I fight to leave Konoha enough to be convincing, and to go to Orochimaru, but I do not think that I would deny coming back much. Especially is you send the right people." She placed her head protector and flak jacket in Kakashi's arms. "Keep them safe for me, will you? Until I come back."

"I will," Kakashi said in no more than a whisper.

Akira went back to the door and slid it open, the cool air immediately flowing through her long black hair. Akira looked to her left, at Kakashi's desk, and momentarily observed the picture of herself and the rest of Team Seven, Kakashi-sensei along with them, hand placed on her head. She wiped the tears off of her face and hardened her gaze, looking back at Kakashi. She smiled. Akira turned rapidly on her heels and left, leaving Kakashi to stare at where she'd once been, leaving him to stare at what he'd found to keep love alive.*

Akira went home, gathering most of her effects. She left her Katana on her bed with a note for Kiba, as well as the picture of herself and Shikamaru, almost as a shrine to herself. She was sure no one would touch them until she got back. Then Akira left, heading to the only path leading out of the village and met up with Sasuke on his way out. Soon, they were in the middle of the forest, standing up on a tall branch of a tree, looking directly at the moon. The Sound Four arrived were already there, kneeling down to Sasuke and Akira.

"We've been waiting for you, Sasuke, Akira," Sakon said respectfully.

"So what's with the change in attitude?" Sasuke asked, still unimpressed.

"It had already been decided that the moment you abandoned the village, you were to become our new leaders. Please forgive the rudeness we displayed earlier."

"Like I care," Sasuke scoffed, walking past them.

Akira didn't even feel the need to respond to them, and walked passed too, staring directly at the back of her brother's head. She hoped that this would be worth it, that in the end Sasuke would still be worth abandoning her village for. And she hoped that one day, he'd understand all the sacrifices she'd made for him. She was leaving behind her village, the one thing other than him that she had sworn to protect. She was leaving behind her comrades and her true sensei, people she could never be thankful enough for. She was leaving Kiba, Kai and Shikamaru behind, her most precious friends. Akira was leaving everything important to her behind, except for one thing. And she swore, right then and there, staring at the back of Sasuke's head, that if she should stay with the Sound Four, she would protect that one thing until her last breath, for her sake and for everyone else's.

Her soul.

* * *

*this is a reference to a previous chapter of mine: **Love What They Could Have Been**. If you can't remember, I suggest reading the last part of that chapter.


	52. Gone

****All right, Pipsqueaks! Voting on the poll is over! It'll take a while before the romance develops, but it'll happen in due time. Stay tuned to find out who it is! Happy reading!****

* * *

It was an early summer morning and a chill hung in the air. The sweet surrendering scent of the morning dew filled the forest with a scent that did not belong on earth. Leaves from the tall trees lay scattered on the forest floor; each of them turning brittle brown; there was a sound like dried cereal being crunched underfoot. The dark shadows of the voluminous trees and the surrounding bushes had become the backbone of the forest, standing as passive protectors of a peaceful place. The sun was rising in a hurry as if trying to make up for setting too early the evening before, blooming into the pale sky with a warm mellow glow. By mid morning sky was a brilliant baby blue, but for now it remained a pale lavender colour, making Akira's skin all the more ethereal looking.

The Sound Four stood around Akira and Sasuke in a four person circle, staring down their two new leaders. They had been searching for a clearing in the woods, and the glade they now stood in seemed like the perfect place for the six ninja to execute their plan. Sakon stared directly at Akira, but her glare made him look away. Despite this, he spoke anyway, returning his eyes to her as he did so.

"Just this once, you must die. Both of you."

"We must die?" Akira asked, raising an eyebrow at Sakon. "Once?"

"You will take one of these awakening pills," Sakon said, pulling out a vial full of what looked like food pills.

"What's it for?" Sasuke questioned, just as skeptical as Akira. "Awakening from what?"

"That Curse on your neck is only a first stage Curse Mark," Tayuya said, and Akira's jaw clenched. She was right. "But those pills will stimulate it and magnify its power, making it a level two."

"One problem," Sakon added. "Strengthening the Curse Mark will also increase its effects on your body. Such a rapid change would kill you at once. And so, to ensure you both survive the transition to the second state, we must give your body time to get accustomed to it. For several hours at least. After that, once the transition is complete, your power may even be equal to ours. Unfortunately, the fact remains that even with all these preparations, you'll still have to die."

Akira took a deep breath, trying desperately to ignore the pounding in the chest.

"So, we will be dead," she said, forcing her voice to be steady. "What will happen after?"

"Not to worry," Sakon said with a smile. He approached Akira and Sasuke with the pills in hand. "Why do you think my friends and I are here?" He set a single pill in each of their hands. "We will cast a barrier jutsu to reduce the effects of the transition. Instead of dying, you'll only be suspended in a state of half death for a while."

"And we are meant to trust you that this half death will not turn into the real thing?"

"Listen, Akira," Kidōmaru said. "Don't forget who we are: Orochimaru's hand picked bodyguards. If there's anyone who knows about Curse Marks, barrier ninjutsu and all the rest, it'd be us."

Kidōmaru sounded oddly reassuring, and the smiles that the rest of them were giving Sasuke and herself didn't seem to be fake. That didn't help Akira much, however. This was the point of no return, but she couldn't exactly back down now or they'd kill her on the spot. Besides, this was the only was she was going to be able to help Sasuke. She stared at the little brown pill and wondered what would happen to her. Would she take on a second form? How drastically would this change her personality? Was it reversible? So many questions, and so little time. So little, that as Akira was thinking, Sasuke had already swallowed his pill. Without much thought, Akira did the same. As soon as she swallowed the pill, she bent forward. Pain seared through Akira's body better than a branding iron, her mind conceding to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. Without meaning, her body curled into something fetal, something primeval and all the while the pain burned and radiated. Through the pain, Akira felt herself being lifted, and suddenly everything went black, but she hadn't passed out. A sudden darkness had enveloped her. Then the pain began increasing in waves, small lulls giving false hope of an end. It was as though Akira's blood had become acid, intent of destroying her from the inside out. All she could do is writhe, the occasional whimper escaping. Her brain had shut down. She was clammy and there was the glisten of a cold sweat. Her eyes were as wide as if someone was coming to deliver the fatal blow. Yet what she saw, no-one else could see. Trapped in her own psychosis, a living nightmare for one, tailor made by her own brain to play on her deepest fears.

Then, all of a sudden, the pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Akira's eyes began to shut, and the only thing she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat. Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps, until her lungs expanded, fresh air rushing into her lungs. A loud explosion sounded and she was able to stand. Akira could feel the rush of power surging through her. Deep purple smoke was rising around her and she glanced down at her hands. Her skin was as white as snow and her nails were indigo, extending a few inches like claws. Moments later, her skin began to shift back to normal, the flame-like markings of the Curse Mark receding. Her appearance was normal, and so were her thoughts. Akira's breathing wasn't though; she was taking deeper breaths than she should, as if she was trying to keep herself from having a mental breakdown.

The smoke cleared and Akira turned her head towards Sasuke. Whatever he looked like before she couldn't tell, he too had gone back to normal. The look on his face terrified her. He had gone power mad. Tears threatened to fall from Akira's eyes, but all she could do was blink at him, not completely aware of her own body yet. Her mind was all there however, and she immediately thought Kakashi was right; she should have simply stopped her brother instead of trying to protect him. Akira heard a voice she recognised and she turned towards it. Her midnight blue eyes widened when she saw Naruto, eyes red. He was using the Nine-Tail's Chakra. In front of him was someone she didn't know. He wore a variation of the Sound Four outfit, and he had silvery white hair. His green eyes were emotionless, and the red makeup in different spots on his face looked like blood.

"Akira!" Naruto called again, smiling. "Sasuke! What the hell are you doing hanging out with these weirdos?"

Akira blinked and stared at the mystery man. She didn't know why she was here. Where was she anyway?

"Come on... let's go home."

"Home..." Akira whispered, taking a step forward.

Sasuke grabbed her arm and laughed. When Naruto called his name again, she laughed even more. Then he looked at his sister, a murderous look in his eye. She looked back at him, as if nothing was behind her eyes. Akira blinked at him and slowly pulled her hand away. Sasuke glared at her.

"Home... Sasuke..." she whispered again.

Sasuke growled and ran off, jumping back into the cover of nearby trees. Naruto yelled after him, but he was interrupted by the mystery man. Akira simply stood there, watching her brother leave. She watched his retreating figure until she couldn't see him anymore. Her eyes were glossy, an evident sadness in them. But even though her mind was screaming at her to run after him, her own body wouldn't respond. Every time she moved, it was painfully slow, as if she were a remote controlled being with her batteries running low. Akira turned back towards Naruto, and she saw him get hit by the mystery man. Her mind kept screaming at her, but again, her body refused to move. He went to hit again, but the man was kicked out of the way by Rock Lee. Akira blinked again. Lee had been healed? Leave it up to Tsunade for impossible surgeries. Akira wanted to smile. Everyone was coming together. Maybe Kiba, Kai and Shikamaru were running after her. Considering the Sound Four weren't here, she supposed they were holding them back. Lee and Naruto exchanged a few words, and Lee took the blonde's place to fight the mystery man.

"I'm gonna go get Sasuke okay? Just stay here. Bushy brow's got this in the bag!"

Naruto didn't leave until Akira mustered a slow nod. Then he jumped off and ran after Sasuke. Akira simply stood there, in her stupor, watching Lee fight. He was doing good, dodging most of the man's attacks and returning a few. He didn't seem to be taking any interest in her, although she was analyzing his every move. While her physical appearance had returned to normal, her kekkei genkai was still active, and so she was observing the man's own kekkei genkai. He seemed to be able to manipulate to bones in his body, even create new ones and use them as weapons. Lee got even better when he accidentally drank sake instead of his medicine. It seemed that Lee was a master of the Drunken Fist technique, so much that he could even dodge the man's attacks in his sleep. But then, Lee, once he recovered from his drunken state, looked over at Akira which made the man do the same. She had collapsed to the ground, now sitting down, staring at the mystery man without blinking. Seemingly annoyed, and deciding that she was no longer useful as she abandoned Sasuke, the man pointed his finger tips at Akira and shot bullet-like bones out of them. Her heartbeat accelerated and her mind begged her body to move, but it wouldn't. She watched the bullets getting closer and closer, until they were blocked by a barrier of sand.

"Why didn't you move?" a calm voice said from beside her. Her head turned slowly.

"Gaara..."

He seemed taller to Akira, but maybe she was seeing things. However, he no longer wore the black suit he did before; it was now a shade of terracotta brown. However his gourd and the long white sash wrapped around him was still there. He looked at Akira seemingly indifferent, but his eyes held emotion. It was odd seeing something in those pale eyes. It was odd seeing him, period. What was Gaara doing here in the first place? Last time Akira had seen him, she was crashing down from Shukaku after his fight with Gamabunta and Naruto.

"Impulsive, aren't you?" Gaara said impassively, lowering the sand barrier between himself and the mystery man. He turned back to Akira. "You're different."

"Yes..."

"When I last saw you, you could actually move and speak full sentences."

"Funny..."

"Snap out of it."

Akira blinked at him.

"Blinking at the enemy won't do anything, so snap out of it."

"Cannot..."

Gaara looked at her eyes. He could see the cogs turning behind them. Her mind was fully functional, but for some reason her body wasn't responding like it should. He frowned and picked her up, jumping back a few meters and putting her back down and out of harm's way.

"Why..."

"I owe the Leaf Village and its people, a lot. Mostly you."

Akira looked at him surprised and blinked again. As Gaara went to stand by Lee, Akira took a deep breath and placed a hand on her chest. She could feel the slowness of her heartbeat, the cold that surrounded it. In her stupor, Akira couldn't feel more than basic emotion. Her mother used to say that you found peace in the simplicity of your heartbeat, but Akira could not feel peace. She was afraid, afraid that this state would persist and she could no longer feel anything as strongly as before. Akira's grip tightened on her shirt. Her breathing became more rapid. She couldn't just sit there and do nothing, watching Gaara fight that man. She couldn't just sit, in shock, and wait to be saved. That's not what Akira Uchiha did. She never would. With a yell, which made Lee, Gaara and the man turn towards her even though they were fighting, Akira concentrated a large amount of Chakra in her hand and shot it directly at her heart. It was like a jolt of electricity ran through her her entire body, stimulating every cell and Chakra point. Her heartbeat accelerated, as well as her breathing, and Akira stood without any difficulties. Her slow body was no more.

"Chakra to the heart is dangerous, Akira!" Lee shouted. "You should not have done that!"

"It was the only way that I could snap out of it," Akira said.

Gaara took advantage of the distraction and used his Sand Burial technique on the man, but as Akira made her way towards Lee and Gaara, a hand emerged from the sand coffin, littered with geometrically arranged black lines. Akira gasped. He too bore a Curse the man had completely exited the coffin, the three allies noticed all the holes in his skin, as well as the bone shield he'd created underneath it. It was probably the only reason he survived.

"That was a lot of pressure. If I hadn't made a membrane of bones underneath my skin, surely I would have been crushed beyond recognition," the man said in a voice equally as calm as Gaara's.

"More bones... He's a monster," Gaara said.

"Well, he certainly is a nuisance," Lee admitted.

"I underestimated you," the man continued. "But that's the last time I'll get caught in your sand."

Gaara solidified his stance and quickly performed hand signs. Moments later, a wave of sand began to rise above the three allies. It was a sand tsunami, and there was no way the man could defend of attack from his position. Akira's eyes widened as Gaara pushed his hand forward and sent the wave crashing down on the man. He surfaced once, but ultimately he was lost underneath it. Lee cheered, but Akira knew it wasn't the last of that man. With the power of the Curse Mark, almost anything was possible. Gaara got to his knees and placed his hands over the ocean of sand.

"Giant Sand Burial!" he shouted, and all the sand on the ground compacted itself in waves, crushing whatever was underneath it. Gaara sighed. "Why won't he give up?"

Lee and Akira turned towards him in surprise.

"What?" Lee said, shocked.

"You can feel the vibrations in the sand," Akira stated. "He is still moving?"

"He is."

"Be prepared to see something odd..."

"What do you mean?" Lee asked.

"He and I have something in common," Akira said. "We both have a Curse Mark given to us by Orochimaru. The first level, Lee, you have seen before. Black marking litter the body."

"Yes, I know. I saw it when we fought the Sound Ninja in the Forest of Death."

"The second level not only boosts your power immensely, it also alters your physical appearance. What will rise out of that sand may look like a monster... Speaking of which, I might as well put this to good use..."

A sharp pain in her neck awoke the second she unlocked the Curse Mark's power. Black flame-like markings spread across her skin, gradually turning the same colour as flame. Once she was covered, the fire faded into snow, her skin turning a pale white. Indigo claws extended out of her fingertips, and the same shade covered her lips. Akira's hair grew exponentially, until it touched the ground, and then some, and her arms and legs elongated as well, making her entire body disproportionate. Clear blue crystals protruded out of her forehead like a crown with a grunt of pain. Her eyebrow ridges and the bridge of her nose became bulkier and turned the same shade of indigo as her claws, giving her an almost reptilian look*.

"Akira..."

"I know," the girl whispered, her voice low and hoarse. "I do not know why I went through with it. But I needed to protect Sasuke, and I planned to until I came out of that coffin. I saw my hands and... and I did not want to lose myself more than I already had. I was in shock, stuck in a stupor about what had become of me. I know what I did was wrong, and I wish I could take it back, tell the Hokage that Sasuke had left instead, but I was selfish. I wanted to protect my brother. I wanted to protect the family that I had left. And now... And now I have no family. Naruto can try as hard as he likes, but he is not coming back. Sasuke is gone... Gone and it is all my fault."

* * *

 ****** I am basing Akira's Level 2 transformation on Watatsumi and onryō. Watatsumi was a legendary deity, dragon and water spirit, and Onryō are vengeful spirits that come from purgatory. In Japanese theater, they had wild, black hair, white skin and makeup in various shades of blue.


	53. Just a Girl

Akira stood with her feet planted firmly into the ground, glaring at the sand and waiting for the enemy to emerge. She ignored Gaara and Lee as they could do nothing but stare at her mutated body, both shocked and terrified. She was just as Gaara said, a monster, and unlike the man they'd been fighting, whose monstrosity came from a blood line trait, Akira had chosen to be contaminated this way, and more than she already was. She was a monster now, a monster that had lost her entire family and had made a stupid and desperate decision that cost her the only family that remained. Akira's white fists clenched and her body became rigid. She would undo what had been done, or at the very least, make up for her actions and forgive herself for what she had done. This was not going to stop her from doing anything.

Akira's eyes widened as the yet unnamed man emerged from the large sea of sand. A large reptilian tail came out first, short bones coming out of it like spikes.

"What... is that?" Lee asked as he stared at the tail, perplexed.

"The second level of his Curse Mark," Akira replied in a low voice.

Gaara created a whirlwind of sand and surrounded the man as he rose out of the golden sea. However, he easily broke through it. It was then Akira saw the bones protruding from his back and the greyish-purple tone of his skin. As he broke through the whirlwind, he directed himself towards herself, Gaara and Lee. Gaara kept shooting bullets of sand towards the man, but he dodged them excessively easily. He was faster than before, the power of Orochimaru's Curse Mark evidently running through his Chakra conduits, but then again... Akira was faster as well. With incredible speed, she swung her elongated arms arms and concentrated her Chakra. Even though her limbs were abnormally long, it didn't stop Akira's Tai Chi dance from being as mesmerizing as it usually was. Her limbs and her hair swayed together as she moved around to create a dagger of water from the gourd that was miraculously still attached to her back. With a stiff move forward, Akira shot the dagger of water at the man rushing towards her. Lee and Gaara stared wide-eyed as the dagger flew through the air, but it narrowly missed the man. However, Akira swung her arms again and pulled her fist inwards, turning the water around and shooting it into the man's back. It didn't do much other than slow him down. He was still headed towards Gaara, who made a wall of sand to stop him, but the enemy simply bashed straight through it and knocked Gaara a few feet away. Akira's fists clenched and the dagger dug deeper into the man's back.

"I see you're using the gift Lord Orochimaru gave you," the man grunted, seemingly unphased by the dagger in his back.

"It is not a gift," Akira said sternly. "As the name suggests, it is a curse."

"And yet you sought it out."

"I did not seek it. It was simply a means to an end, as I vowed to protect my brother at all cost."

"That went well for you."

Akira's jaw clenched and she went to pull the blade further into the man, but Lee jumped forwards and distracted her, causing the Chakra in the water to dissipate. Lee launched himself at the man, but he didn't do any damage at all, and Gaara had to cushion the impact of the man's tail. If he hadn't, Lee would have been severely injured, nearly to the point of death. Akira brought the puddle of water back to her gourd and looked at Gaara, relieved that he was all right. Though the sand armor on his body was cracked and falling apart at the place of impact, it slowly repaired itself as he walked back towards Akira.

"Such a pain that sand of yours," the man sighed. "You're first, Gaara of the Desert."

The man reached to his back and seemed to be pulling out one of the bones protruding from his back, but in reality, he had completely pulled out his spinal column. The spinous and transverse processes suddenly became exaggerated, sticking out of the vertebrae like deathly spikes.

"Dance of the Clematis Flower: Vine!"

The spine suddenly extended into a whip-like instrument, and the man flung it at Gaara. The sand was quicker and managed to shield Gaara as it rose from the ground and made a cocoon around the boy. Then, the man's arm began to disappear behind a thick layer of bone which shaped itself into something resembling a drill. Akira waved her arms around and used the water from her gourd to slice through the cartilage between each vertebrae of the spine, freeing Gaara just before the man attack with his new weapon. As the unnamed man launched himself forward, Gaara shifted the sand around him, taking more out of the ground, to create a statue in the semblance of Shukaku which, with the help of Akira's Fireball Jutsu, was hardened even more than it already was. By the time that it had been erected and hardened, the man's drill-like appendage was already digging into the defense. However, when it reached too close to the center, the bone shattered.

"It's so strong," the man said sounding almost surprised.

"I took the hardest minerals in the soil I gathered and then I fused them into the sand using my Chakra," Gaara explained. "Akira's Fireball Jutsu simply made those minerals melt, hardening them more."

"Tell me," Akira said, staring at the shattered pieces of bone on the ground. "That is a very interesting kekkei genkai you have."

"It belonged to the Kaguya. But now, it belongs to me and me alone."

"Last of your clan... It is such a shame that it will die out today."

"That might very well be the case," the man said. "My body has weakened, it may not last much longer. However, I will still live on. Because... I am not alone."

"You think Orochimaru cares for you?" Akira chuckled, her laugh low and terrifying due to her cursed form. "If you think that he cares for you, you are mistaken. I am not an expert on the man, but he seems like the type of person to care only for things that are of use to him. If you are weak, you are no longer useful. If you are no longer useful, then why would Orochimaru care about you?"

The man's eyes suddenly widened and he looked down, only now realising that the sand underneath his feet was beginning to move, slowly dragging him down. Within seconds, the man had been sucked down into the earth in a whirlpool of sand, no longer visible to Lee, Gaara and Akira. Akira looked at Gaara. He didn't look it, but she could tell that he was out of Chakra. If he used any more, he'd be risking his life.

"He's been buried two hundred feet in the earth," Gaara said, looking down at the ground. "Unable to move even a finger, trapped there until there's no oxygen left."

"You did it!" Lee cheered. "This time I am certain of it!"

Akira was still looking at Gaara, and she frowned. He didn't seem certain at all, and she wondered why. The man was buried two hundred feet down in the earth and couldn't even lift a finger. How could he still be an issue? Akira exhaled sharply and walked a few feet forward, her long legs taking her to her destination faster than usual. She bent down and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and concentrating Chakra to her hand that she'd placed to the ground. The darkness and Chakra signatures came faster than they usually did, courtesy of the Curse Mark. Akira jumped back almost as soon as the images flew to her mind, and waved her arms so rapidly she could barely see them. She took all the water out of her gourd and shaped it into thin discs that resembled glass, and lifted herself and Gaara onto one of them and Lee onto another as he was too far away to be on the same one as herself. Akira could feel the strain in all her muscles as she raised the discs of water up into the air, just fast enough to avoid the pillars of bone rising out of every inch of the dirt below them. The strain only further increased when she brought Lee closer to her and Gaara, merging the discs of water together, although it didn't lessen the amount of force she was using to keep them floating.

"Thank you, Akira. You saved my life," Lee said, panting a little.

"Again," Gaara added, nodding to the girl in thanks.

"These powers of yours are truly remarkable."

"Thank you, but I have practised this so many times it is almost second-nature to me. The strain however, is still great," Akira admitted, slowly pushing the discs of water away from the field of bones. They landed in a small patch of forest nearby and Akira crumbled to the ground, Curse Mark receding and her appearance returning to normal. "Safe at last."

"We should have been killed. It was pure luck Akira decided to confirm his death," Gaara said as he leaned against a tree.

"No, it was not meant to be," Lee said. "My Sensei has often said to me, 'a good ninja always makes his own luck'."

"That meddlesome mother hen?"

"Guy-sensei is nothing of the sort! Yes, he stepped in during our match, but only that once. And only because I was not yet strong enough! I am very grateful to you, Gaara, for saving my life, but I warn you - I will not abide anyone saying an ill word about my sensei!"

"So you're another one, eh?"

Akira's head slowly turned towards Gaara. She looked at him through heavy lidded eyes.

"You have someone in your life that you honour and revere so much that all harm inflicted on them is inflicted on you as well. And the closer they are to you, the greater the pain... To feel so strongly towards someone you'd fight for them, and die for them... you two and Naruto Uzumaki have that in common."

"I do?" Akira questioned, voice faint.

"You went through hell for your brother, and sacrificed the integrity of your mind, body and soul for him," Gaara stated. "You fight for him, just like Kimimaro fought for Orochimaru. At the expense of yourself."

Kimimaro... that's what his name was. Akira's head turned back and she looked at the pale blue sky.

"But what if that person you honour and revere, Lee, is not a virtuous person?" Gaara continued. Akira sighed and kept listening.

"Impossible! Such a person... would be unworthy of honour or respect!" Lee protested.

"No. Perhaps the companionship of even an evil person is preferable to loneliness. Or perhaps..." Akira sensed Gaara looking at her. "The person you honour and revere was once virtuous, and you are left hoping that they will return to you safely."

Akira blinked slowly, and a tear escaped each one of her eyes. A bird flew by and Akira watched it glide overhead until it disappeared into a tree. Her eyes closed tight and her face scrunched up in sadness. All she was was sadness. She could feel it now. Every other emotion was pushed away from her being. Where there was love for her brother, light from the sun, laughter with her friends, all an aching hollowness now. She was honest, truthful and full of more love and compassion for Sasuke than anyone could ever understand. She had been kind, gentle - yet all that was negated by the hatred Sasuke held towards Itachi. Both her brothers, her own family, turned away from her, from her kindness, from her love... All Akira was, was a girl. And girls weren't made to cry over boys...


	54. Father, I Beg of You

Akira was brought to the hospital by Gaara, nearly completely limp in his arms. Lee walked beside them, limping, and everyone rushed towards them when they entered the building. It was exactly the same as the last time. Akrira let herself be taken off by the medical-nin, not caring much about what they were doing. She was nearly dragged into a hospital room and laid down on the bed where the medical-nin changed her clothes and put her in clean garments, as some other doctors assessed her condition. The beeping of machines and whooshing sounds of healing Chakra were faint in Akira's ears. Her head was turned towards the doorway and she saw that Lee was being ushered into another room, more medical-nin poking and prodding him as well. Just before the door closed to her room, Akira saw Gaara sit on a bench outside, waiting.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips, but soon she'd take a sharp breath inward when a sudden pain erupted in her chest. The stress on her heart was finally dying down, but the Chakra burst she'd sent to her heart wasn't. It was still making her slow heart pump more than it should, and it was causing her extreme pain. Muffled voices and shouts mentioning 'cardiac arrest' reached the girl's ears, but she was returning to the stupor she was in when she emerged from the coffin the Sound Four had put her in. Akira's breathing suddenly came to a halt, and she was gasping, writhing on the bed she was laying on. The doctors grabbed her and laid her on a wheeled table, before rushing her out of the resting room. Akira's arms reached up to her throat as a reflex. She was no longer gasping for air, simply choking from the lack of oxygen. Her vision was becoming blurry and by the time she'd reached her new destination, everything had gone black, and she couldn't see or hear the new arrivals to the hospital.

The only things she could see were choppy memories of herself and Itachi, her father getting angry at her for not learning fire-based Jutsu, memories of meeting all her friends. It was like her life was flashing before her eyes, every moment in chronological order. Was she dying? Is this what people saw when their time was up? Is this what her parents saw? Maybe it was. Maybe it was the last thing she'd see. Or maybe it was what she would continue to see, in death, or in a coma - whichever she was in. Images continued to fly through her mind, tormenting her, scaring her, warming her heart. But then the memory of Itachi striking the family crest in anger jumped out at her, and her body flung itself forward. Akira woke up by taking in a large breath. A breath so heavy it was almost as if she had screamed. Her chest heaved and her body was drenched in sweat. The room she was in was brightly illuminated and about a dozen medical-nin were surrounding her, looking scared and nervous. But smiles reached their faces when Akira's breathing returned to normal, slowing to a regular pace. And they exhaled a sigh of relief when they found her heartbeat to be regular as well.

An hour later, Akira was wheeled out of the emergency unit. Waiting outside, to her surprise, was Temari. She was sitting on a bench beside her brother, who was passed out on her shoulder. She smiled when she saw Akira, and the Uchiha smiled back. Temari called to someone up ahead, but Akira didn't see them until their tear-streaked face came into her field of vision. It was Shikamaru, and he definitely had been crying, but the smile that drew itself on his face erased all evidence of that. Moments later, when they reached her hospital room, she found that Kiba and Kai were sharing it with her. Both of them looked severely injured.

"Are you all right?" Akira asked, voice faint. "What happened?"

"We came looking for you!" Kai said, angry. "You just up and left with Sasuke and left all your stuff behind!"

"The Hokage asked us to retrieve you and Sasuke," Shikamaru explained more rationally.

"Yeah, heck of a lot of trouble that was," Kiba said, annoyed.

"It was my choice to go," Akira sighed. "There was no need for you to retrieve me. I pleaded Kakashi-sen -"

Akira cut herself off. She couldn't bring herself to call him her sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei went to find you, as well and Naruto and Sasuke."

Akira looked away from her friends and turned to the doorway. Sakura was standing there, shyly holding her hands together at the same level as her chin. She looked exhausted. She probably hadn't slept for the past few days they were all away. Akira gave her a saddened look.

"Sakura, I am... I am sorry. I could not bring Sasuke back."

Sakura, as well as the others, looked up at her confused.

"What do you mean, you couldn't bring back Sasuke?" Kiba asked. "You just just left with him to go find Orochimaru!"

"No, I did not. As I was saying, I pleaded for Kakashi to give me a mission: to protect Sasuke at any cost. Surprisingly, he agreed, and I left with Sasuke for Orochimaru because I knew I could not convince him otherwise. The only way I could protect him is if I was there with him. When through all the horrors and the torture with him. But when the opportunity came for me to choose home over Orochimaru... I chose home. And I told Sasuke that I was going back, even after all that we had just been through, and he just... scowled at me and left. He left. I gave my mind, body and soul to Orochimaru for him and I got nothing... There was no more love in his eyes for me. Just hate. Naruto will try to bring him back, but in the end... the Sasuke that I know and love... he is gone.

"I am sorry, Sakura... I know you love him, but... my brother is no longer."

"Then why'd you leave all your stuff here if you intended to leave?" Shikamaru asked, after Sakura nodded and retreated. "That doesn't seem wise to me."

"Did you really think I would let Orochimaru contaminate you like that? Contaminate your memory? You were all that I had left keeping me sane. I was not going to bring Kiba's gift and the picture of us with me... I was not going to corrupt the sanctity of our friendship."

"Huh?" Kiba muttered.

"That's fancy Uchiha talk for 'I'm not letting Orochimaru touch my friends' stuff'," Kai explained. "She wanted our friendship to remain untainted by the evil she was going to do."

"The evil that I did..." Akira corrected.

Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru all turned to her, shocked. What had she done?

"I let the Sound Four activate the second level of my Curse Mark. It was... an entrance exam, of sorts."

"WHAT!?" Kiba shouted.

"Akira, won't that consume you!?" Kai gasped, worried.

"If I keep it active too long, yes," Akira admitted. "But as long as I do not use it for extended periods of time, and too often, there is no concern. It is only extra power."

"Power that Orochimaru have you! Don't you think there could be some backhanded, twisted consequence to it?" Shikamaru asked.

"Of course I think there could be, but until I am proven otherwise, this Curse Mark does not put me in immediate danger." Akira sighed. "I will not use it unless I have no other choice, I promise. Thank you for worrying."

"Not just worrying we were doing!" Kiba admitted. "We were terrified! Kira, you're our best friend! What the heck do you think would happen to us if we lost you?"

"You're everything to us!" Kai said, a pained expression on his face. "Nothing is worse than losing a best friend, let alone someone you've known long enough to consider them as family. And look at Shikamaru - it's obvious he's been crying his eyes out!"

"I am truly sorry," Akira said meekly, gently taking Shikamaru's hand. She noticed he had a broken finger. "I will not worry you this way ever again. You are my trusted comrades, my best friends, my family. I promise you this, you will not lose me."

"We better not lose you, or I'll kill you," Kai said with a smirk.

"No one's dying," Shikamaru said, exasperated. "Everyone is and will be fine."

"Wait, you were not the only ones to come?"

"No, Choji, Naruto and Neji came along too," Kiba said. "And then right in the nick of time, the three genin from the Hidden Sand Village showed up."

"That I am aware of. Gaara came to Lee's and my aid," Akira said. "Has anyone else returned?"

"Choji and Neji are stable. Just came out of surgery. Naruto is in the recovery room next door."

Akira pulled her herself up and swung her legs over the bed. Shikamaru rose from his seat, panicked, flailing his arms around Akira to make sure he'd catch her if she fell. Akira rose an eyebrow at him and he stopped when she realised she was standing just fine. She began her walk towards the door, but Shikamaru indeed had to catch her because her legs gave out about ten steps in. She smiled meekly in thanks and accepted his help to walk to Naruto's room. A wide smile etched itself onto his features when Akira and Shikamaru entered.

"Shikamaru! Akira! You're all right!"

"And so are you," Akira smiled gently, nodding to the bed so Shikamaru could drop her there. "I am glad you are all right."

"Kakashi-sensei brought me back after... after Sasuke beat me in battle..."

"Do not beat yourself up over this, Naruto. You did not bring Sasuke back, and neither did I. And I was the one who left and caused this in first place."

"It wasn't your fault, Akira. You just followed Sasuke because he's your brother," Naruto said, and Akira's eyes widened. "I knew you'd never do something like that willingly, but I knew you'd do absolutely anything for Sasuke."

Akira smiled sadly at Naruto and squeezed his hand. Then she got up and left, with difficulty, but told Shikamaru to stay with Naruto. Akira walked down the hallway, hand grazing the wall as to keep her balance, and calmly walked out of the hospital without anyone noticing. It was still a bad habit of hers. But there was no longer anything wrong with her. All she needed was a good amount of rest. Besides, all she'd get in the hospital would be questions and comments about her actions, and no rest at all. So, she slowly walked down the streets of Konoha, staring at the people who were so far blissfully unaware of what had become of the first heir to the Uchiha clan.

It took a long time before Akira reached her home, but not the one she usually stayed at. She stared at the Uchiha clan compound longer than anyone should stare at an abandoned mass of buildings. It took her everything she had to walk underneath the torii leading to the compound. She sighed, staring at the street in contempt. She hated it. She hated everything on the main street. She hated all the banners, she hated all the restaurants that used to be open and bustling, every child playing in the streets with happiness. She hated the memories she had of this street. All of them. Because she used to love it so much.

Akira advanced through the derelict compound, the street almost eerie in the low light of the evening sun. Against the darkening sky all the girl could see was the crumbling walls that were nothing more than a ghostly silhouette of some previous existence. The wind whistled through the trees bringing with it the laughter of children who once lived there and the caring call of a mother letting them know dinner was ready. Vividly Akira could picture her childhood. The walls didn't seem so grey when she was only a girl, nor did they seem so small. In her mind she pictured this place as though it were a castle, her mother and father gliding through the once pristine halls, the King and Queen of their kingdom. As she stared at the place she found her dead parents, Akira felt as though no time had passed since she moved from this house. But then she gazed upon the overgrown bushes and the shattered windows, and it was evident just how wrong she was. She knelt down and ran her hand across the dried blood on the ground, where it outlined where her parents' bodies once laid.

"I am all you have left now, father," Akira whispered, staring at the larger pool of dried blood. "I know that I am not the ideal successor, or the successor you wanted at all. After all, I never learned Fire-based Jutsu in time to show you, to become a full-fledged Uchiha. To you I must just be nothing... like a worhtless side-branch of the family. I learned Lightning-based Jutsu, and while I was good at them, you never accepted my talent. You always reprimanded me for not learning the Uchiha way, and yet you told Sasuke to follow his own path. I am sorry to inform you, father, that Sasuke has chosen the path of hate just like Itachi. I am all that truly remains of the Uchiha clan, and while I am not what you would have wanted... I am the only one who can restore the clan to its former glory. I am the only one who can keep it alive.

"I kneel before you today, father, seeking your forgiveness. I seek forgiveness for the actions that I have committed these past few days, as well as for the things that I have done to my body. I assure you that your forgiveness will not be wasted on me. I will make amends with my brother, and I will undo the wrong that I have done to others and myself. I have sacrificed mind, body and soul for my brother, and yet I should have known he would not see or understand the sacrifice. My sacrifice was in vain, and I plead for you to forgive me for my naïveté.

"I kneel before you, father, seeking your blessing. I am not what you would have wanted. I am not the ideal. But I am what remains, and it is my duty, as an Uchiha, to keep this clan alive. I know few Fire-based Jutsu; most of my talent is put towards Lightning and Water-based Jutsu, but I am strong. I am have desire. I have the willpower. I ask you to give me your blessing in my position as heir to the Uchiha clan. I will be pursuing this goal whether you give me your blessing or not, but out of respect for you, for mother, and all the Uchiha who looked up to you, I must ask anyway. I plead for you give me your blessing.

"All I need is a sign from you, a sign to tell me that I am forgiven, that I have your blessing. It is all I need, it is all I want. Please, father... I beg of you."

Akira bowed deeply to the outline of her father, nose nearly touching the dried blood. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but Akira had to remain strong before her father, regardless if he was really there or not. She stayed in that position for what seemed like hours. The sun had gone down completely, and the stars now filled the night sky. Crickets sang their nighttime song, a constant calming chime in Akira's ears. All of a sudden, a gust of wind rushed into the house through the broken windows. It made the wind chimes sing, the banners outside flutter and the dust in the house clear out. Akira gasped and looked up. Another gust of wind blew into the house, this time, unhooking a banner that had once been hanging over her parents' bed. It unfurled and Akira took a deep breath, exhaling with a smile. The Uchiha crest had been presented to her by the wind.

"Thank you."


	55. Honour of the Sharingan

"I should revoke your status as Chūnin!"

Akira didn't dare look up at Lady Tsunade as she was being lectured. The Hokage was furious, and for good reason.

Akira had been called to a meeting by Shizune and a troop of doctors who had found her and Kakashi repainting the facades of the homes and shops of the Uchiha compound. She had been tied up, quite exaggeratedly, and nearly dragged to the Hokage's office so that Tsunade could have a word with the young Chūnin. At the present, only Shizune and Tsunade were present, but Akira had waited a short while before they entered the Hokage's office. Akira supposed they wanted to question Kakashi before talking to her.

"Number one: you've been disappearing from the hospital way too often! You came to us in critical condition, why the hell would you think it was a good idea to just up and leave?"

"I was simply tired, Lady Hokage, and I preferred to rest at home. When I was rested enough, I resumed my normal activities," Akira said politely, head still down. "I apologize for any concern that I might have caused."

"I only accept that apology because I am fully aware that you know your limits, Akira. However... Number two: you left the village with Sasuke Uchiha who, at the moment, is being considered as a Missing-nin!"

Akira's head lifted rapidly, eyes slightly wide.

"What? No! You cannot treat him as a Missing-nin! The Anbu will kill him on sight!"

"Don't concern yourself with him right now, consider your predicament!" Tsunade shouted. "You're also faced with charges! Abandoning your duties? Associating with known Missing-nin?"

"I do not care about my predicament at the moment!" Akira shouted back, which surprised Tsunade and Shizune. "Sasuke is my brother, and I would do anything to protect him! I left the village to keep an eye on him! I do not know what Kakashi told you before you came to scold me, but it was not his fault. The fault lies with me. I was the one who made Kakashi give me a final mission. I pleaded. I think I even cried. I asked him to order me to protect Sasuke at any cost. Any!

"So I tried. I gave my mind, my body and my soul to Orochimaru just so that I could make sure my only family was safe, was protected! I left the village not seeking power. I left the village to protect the last thing that is truly mine. My family. My status as Chūnin did not matter, my sensei did not matter, my friends did not matter. I was not thinking of myself, because in that moment, I did not matter. All that mattered was Sasuke.

"So, by all means, revoke my status as Chūnin. Prevent me from restoring my clan, the greatness of the Konoha Military Police. Do it. By all means. But recognise that I bore no ill-will to this village or its people, and I fully intended to return to Konoha once I knew it was safe to return alongside mt brother. I could never leave this behind. This village... it is what I vowed to protect and to love as a young girl. This village is my past, present and future, and it is one of two things that I would protect even more than my family."

"What's the other?" Shizune asked, curious, as Tsunade simply gave a death glare at Akira.

"My comrades," Akira stated simply. Then she smiled, as if remembering something. "Someone once told me, that in the Shinobi world, people who broke the rules were scum. But those who abandoned their friends, their comrades... well, those people were worse than scum. So, Lady Hokage, I do not know how you would expect me to do any less for my brother, when I would go to the same lengths for those who do not even share blood with me."

Tsunade continued to hold her stern gaze at Akira, but Akira did the same. Both women didn't divert their gaze anywhere, and for a moment, it made Shizune nervous. Eventually, however, Tsunade sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"I can't reprimand you for something I myself would have done," she said finally. "I won't be revoking your Chūnin status. However, you will be suspended from missions for two weeks unless something should arise and you are summoned."

"Thank you, Lady Hokage," Akira said with a bow.

Akira slowly retreated from the Hokage's office, letting out the breath she'd been holding. She was lucky that her consequences weren't more severe. Akira smiled to herself. Maybe using Kakashi's words against her softened her up. In any case, she was thankful she didn't have her Chūnin status revoked. That would have been the end of the rest of her life.

"Using my words against the Hokage now, are we?"

Akira looked up to her left and saw, against the darkening sky, Kakashi's tall silver hair. He sitting on a nearby rooftop, reading his usual books. She chuckled and head towards him as he leaped back to the ground. Of course he would be waiting for her after this.

"Have you been sitting there since Shizune came to fetch me?" Akira asked.

"I had a book to keep me busy, don't worry," Kakashi said, walking her way.

"I still have no idea how you read those things Jiraya calls research. Do not act innocent, I know what those books are Kakashi."

Immediately, Kakashi tried to wave it off as nothing, laughing nervously and flailing his arms in a poor attempt at distracting Akira. But the girl only laughed and continued walking, leaving the distressed Kakashi behind. Soon enough though, he'd regained composure and caught up to her. They walked together in silence for a while until Kakashi figured where she was leading him. She was headed back to the Uchiha compound, for reasons Kakashi couldn't quite figure out. She'd spent the past few days trying to fix up the place, and so far it was going well. However, it was late and Akira had to wake early for her daily Chūnin training. But the girl still walked straight into the compound, though she mostly ignored the houses and shops they'd repainted during the day. This time she went further down into the compound, stopping only when she reached another torii. This one was smaller than the entrance gate, but it was just as ornate. She could see the details through the dust. The Uchiha crest was stamped at the top and banners flowed halflway down. Kakashi's eyes widened slightly. He'd finally realised that this was the house she used to live in, at the center of the Uchiha compound. He'd been here before, as a boy, and being back after the tragedy... it didn't feel right. Akira sighed and stepped forward, passing the torii and walking up the path that lead to the traditional Japanese home. She walked off the steps and took off her shoes before sliding the door open and entering the abandoned home. However, it wasn't as dusty, or derelict as Kakashi had expected. It seemed as though it had been kept, maintained all these years. He glanced at the girl walking in front of him. Had she been coming here all this time?

Akira walked through the house and stopped in front of a closed door. She looked over her shoulder at Kakashi, and he saw something in her eyes. No sadness, no fear, no happiness, but rather a question. Kakashi nodded on instinct, and she smiled back at him, the spark returning to her eyes. Kakashi nearly stopped breathing when Akira slid the door open. It was the only place in the compound that still retained that foul stench - the stench of death. The dried blood on the floorboards were enough to make him look at Akira concerned, but then he noticed that the dried blood had been erased in some places, and he wasn't surprised when Akira knelt in that exact spot. Wind blew through the windows, whisking Akira's hair of her shoulders and making the Uchiha crest banner sway before her eyes. Kakashi knelt down behind her.

"I have returned, father, perhaps earlier than you expected," Akira began, talking to no one but the air around her. "I have begun the restoration of the Uchiha compound, and all is going well. I have had help from Kakashi Hatake, and I brought him here with me tonight, to thank you in his presence. If memory serves, you knew him."

Kakashi glanced up at Akira, who was nearly bent over the blood stain in the shape of her parents. He frowned. Could she... remember?

"I was very young, but I remember someone coming into our home, with many other Uchiha. They were shouting. Profanities, of course. But you were gentle, and I think it was the only time I saw your gentle nature. A boy with silver hair was standing in the next room, the source of all profanities, and you told your clan, for lack of better words, to piss off. I was hiding in your bedroom, but I could hear everything, and see a few things from the crack in the doorway. You allowed the young boy to keep something of the Uchiha. I did not know what it was at the time, but I do now.

"You see, I noticed Kakashi often went to the shrine where all your names are engraved. There were other names, of course, but his eyes lingered on the Uchiha. I wondered why he stared at so many Uchiha names, up until I saw that he possessed a Sharingan. At first, I thought that maybe there was a branch of the family I did not know about, but that seemed ridiculous. After all, you kept a close eye on every Uchiha. I have come to realise that you allowed him to keep the Sharingan of an Uchiha, given to him as a gift.

"I do not remember if he thanked you, or if you helped him get accustomed to the Sharingan. It matters not. What matters is that I am here to thank you for the kind gesture towards Kakashi. You would be proud, father. He has become one of the best ninja in Konoha, and the Sharingan you allowed him to keep has saved more lives than you could imagine. It has saved my own quite a few times, I must admit. So, thank you, father, for bestowing the honour of the Sharingan to a great man." Akira stood, but kept her gaze to the blood stain on the ground. A few tears fell onto the stain. Her voice became shaky. "And now, father, I think it is time that I said goodbye. Though, I am not quite sure how. I never really thought this through.

"What can you even say to someone to has always been an essential part of your world, someone who did not take you by the hand, but showed you the path and told you to walk it? What can you say to someone to let them know that they are what you strive to be? How do you let them know you wish you inherited some of their wisdom and strength? What words would you say if you ever got the chance... Well, now is my chance. And the only thing that seems suitable right now, and I hope you understand, is... I love you, and I always will."

This time, Akira's dance was more slow than graceful. The water twisted around her arms and her body, slowly escaping from the gourd on her back, and touched the floor so gently, as if Akira thought it would crumble. The water glided over the floor, slowly turning pink, then red, and the floor that was once stained became pristine once again. Akira hesitated for a moment, staring at the orb of red water floating in the palm of her hand, but then she walked past Kakashi and went outside. She slowly walked towards the lake nearby, Kakashi slowly following behind her. She stopped at the end of the dock she and Sasuke used to jump off of, then she thrust her arm forward and spreading the water over the lake. Each bead of water reflected the moonlight, like little rubies dancing in midair. Rapidly, Akira performed the Fireball Jutsu, vaporising every orb of water, leaving a cool mist hanging over the water. It seemed fitting.

Kakashi stood beside Akira and looked down at her. He put a hand on her head, proud of her. Finally moving on after all these years of repressed grief. Akira had finally let go, and this could only mean good things from here on out. The peaceful smile on her face was only the beginning.


	56. Disbanded

Team Seven was disbanded. Officially.

Akira was crushed to find out the morning after, and she didn't even get the information from Kakashi or even Lady Tsunade, but by some Jōnin she didn't even know. 'With Sasuke gone,' he had said, 'Lady Tsunade has deemed the existence of Squad Seven unnecessary.'

Unnecessary.

Was all Naruto's, Sakura's, Kakashi's and her own hard work just that? Unnecessary? Could she be reduced to nothing just because of what her brother had done? Akira's brows furrowed. He hurt her even when he wasn't there. Akira remained immobile, midway through her walk to the hospital to visit Kiba; his injuries were still severe enough to keep him there. But she was still, the information being processed very slowly in her mind. Naruto and Sakura were no longer just Genin, just teammates, they now were proper comrades. And now, Kakashi truly was no longer her sensei, he too was a comrade. Akira wasn't under his command anymore. It almost made her want to do something stupid. She thought against it. She had proper responsibilities now. She would be given missions with other Chūnin, maybe a few Jōnin she'd never even heard of. She would be able to be recommended for Jōnin. The thought suddenly made her excited. But then she contemplated... Maybe she'd become a teacher at the Academy, like Iruka-sensei, to make sure the future generations of shinobi got all of her knowledge, equally, and none of them were left out, like Sasuke or Naruto. Akira sighed. At this point, however, she had no idea what her future would be like.

Akira resumed her trek to the hospital. It seemed like a long walk. She didn't have Kai to greet her at the same spot, as he was already out on a special mission with his father. Shikamaru was most likely training with his father; if he was he'd be occupied all day. Naruto was in the same predicament as Kiba, still stuck to his hospital bed, and Sakura was too depressed, too heartbroken to talk to anyone. Akira was alone on her walk. She half expected to see Kakashi pop up beside her, but he never showed. Akira thought it was because they'd spent too much time together lately, and with what she pulled the last time they saw each other... well, the girl assumed he needed a break from her. Akira wondered is she should have put Kakashi in that situation in the first place. He hadn't seemed bothered or distressed, but Akira could never really read the man (to be fair 95% of his face was covered). But he didn't leave, or say anything, or oppose to anything that was happening... Akira was probably overthinking it all.

Her thoughts accompanied her all the way to the hospital, then to Kiba's room which she looked into before entering. Akira sighed and walked away. Kiba was asleep, his sister Kana sitting beside him and stroking his hair. Akamaru was snoozing on his chest. Akira wasn't going to wake them, or bother Kana. The girl shrugged - maybe Naruto was awake. However, Naruto was nowhere to be found. She closed the door and pressed her forehead against it. Still alone.

"He's out on a mission," a voice said.

Akira turned her head, forehead still pressed to the door. It was Lady Tsunade. The girl felt a ruse of anger towards the woman. Unnecessary...

"I gave Jiraya special permission to take Naruto and Sakura on a mission. He wanted to take you along, but I informed him of your suspension."

"What mission?" Akira asked, though she suspected it had to do with Sasuke.

"I can't tell you. It's covert."

Akira turned her head back and pushed off the door. She walked slowly passed Tsunade without looking at her. Tsunade called out to Akira, and the girl stopped. She really didn't want to be kept here for too long - the nurses would pester her.

"I'm sorry."

Akira looked at the Hokage over her shoulder. She seemed concerned, but her eyes betrayed her.

"No you're not."

Akira's footsteps echoed in the empty hallway as she walked away from Tsunade. She knew that she was right when Tsunade didn't argue or attempt to stop her from walking away.

Akira wandered off, not much thought put into where her feet were leading her, but she naturally made her way towards training ground three. Upon arriving, her gaze gravitated towards the memorial stone, but Akira didn't stop to say a prayer or even bow in honour of the deceased. She simply walked passed it and headed straight for the lake. Her feet sank no more than a centimeter before her Chakra stabilized and she was calmly walking on water. She paused, staring out at the horizon. Today the sky was nothing at all. It was like a child began to draw on it with a pencil and then erased it in a way that smudged and spread the grey. A light breeze moved the ends of her onyx hair, but the locks became heavy as raindrops began to fall. Akira groaned loudly, irritated beyond belief. First, it was the disbanding of her team. Then it was Naruto and Kiba being unreachable. Now this? The world was against her today, it seemed. Akira wasn't going to be stopped this easily, however. She needed to get some training done today, as she thought she'd been slacking these past few days. Of course, her body was exhausted, due not only to the fact she had renovated the entirety of the Uchiha compound, but also, although she'd never admit it, Akira had left the hospital too soon and her body was suffering for it. She needed proper rest. Instead, Akira's clothes were beginning to soak through with water, and goosebumps littered her skin as she began balancing her Chakra between her feet and her hands.

Akira pratised all the jutsu she could, some Fire-based, others Lightning-based, a few Earth-based, but mostly Water-based, and she used the water sources beneath her feet and above her head to practise them. Her Water-based jutsu had become strong, reaching the same level as her own creation, Inazuma. Eventually, Akira gradually switched from jutsu so playing with the water around her. Her dance wasn't as graceful as it usually was, however. There was too much on her mind, too much frustration, and her moves were choppy, stiff and robotic as a result. There was no flow to her movements, and Akira was getting even more frustrated. She tried to move her arms again, but the weight of the water that was soaking her kimono made it impossible to raise her arms over her head. Angrily, Akira stomped at the water, and a large column rose into the air, crashing back down just as fast. Growling loudly, Akira pulled off her kimono and violently threw it aside, leaving her arms and stomach exposed to the frigid combination of water and wind. The girl put her hands together and closed her eyes, taking slow deep breaths while listening to the rainfall. The rain fell softly as if it knew of the hardships both behind and ahead the young ninja. Each droplet alighted on her skin with just enough coolness too command her mind to the present, to pull her away from the pain of the past and the uncertainty of what was to come. The beads over her face, more numerous than even the scars on her skin, joined to wash over her in a delicate cascade. She raised her eyes to the grey layer that touched every mountain top, her eyes now wide open. Akira raised her arms above her head, calmly and gracefully, and concentrated on every single drop of water falling in her vicinity. Her muscles tensed, hardening from the effort she was putting into projecting her Chakra. Her face contorted and she gritted her teeth, knees bending until she assumed the same position as Atlas, holding up the world on his shoulders. Rain mingled with the sweat forming on her body as her entire being tried to pause the rain above her.

The strain stabilized, no longer inscreasing, and the cascade of water droplets became a mirror, reflecting the image below it. It rippled, like a puddle, but it stretched as far as her eyes could see. An image of Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors flashed through her mind. Seconds later, her arms and legs gave out, and all the rainwater came crashing down at once. Water surrounded her on all sides. A few seconds later, the water stopped pushing Akira downwards, and the girl began floating in the middle of the lake. Her legs were tired, so were her arms, but she wasn't worried - she could still perform a jutsu to rise from the water. Akira was simply peaceful in the depths of the lake. The sounds were lazy, the light was gentle and her movements were as graceful as a bird's in the sky, every single one of them a meditation. Gaara might have had his sand, but Akira doubted he felt the same freedom around it as she felt beneath the surface of the lake. She was akin to the water, almost the same entity, never bothered or stressed when around it.

With a few simple hand gestures, Akira soared upwards through the water and gasped for air once her head broke the surface. It was still raining. Akira climbed out of the water, sending Chakra to her hands, knees and feet so as to not fall through the water again. Panting a little, Akira let her body sag as she stood, attempting to release all the tension from her muscles. She let out a sharp breath, smiling a little. It was the first time she'd managed to control that much water without the use of a jutsu. The smile left her face the second she remembered where her newfound power came from. Akira slumped her shoulders and her head, hair sliding down over her face. She watched as water droplets fell from the ends of her raven hair. Even her best accomplishment was soured. Couldn't she catch a break today?

"You're going to catch a cold if you stay out here," a voice said to Akira's left. She turned her head and saw Kakashi holding her soaked kimono, under the cover of a tree with thick foliage. "Come on, let's get out of the rain."

Akira rose slowly, staring at Kakashi. She shook her head at him.

"No. I have been neglecting my training," Akira replied. "I need to get some done."

"Today? In the pouring rain? Come on, Akira, you don't need to train now."

"I have not been training late-"

"You haven't been training lately because you've been too busy rebuilding your family's compound, and I count that as training. You've been straining your body far too much," Kakashi said.

"That may be true, but I still have not been practising my jutsu. It should be a priority now that I can be sent on missions with fellow shinobi. I cannot fail a mission, and I cannot endanger my teammates. I need to be strong, and remodeling my old home will not help me accomplish that."

"And tiring yourself out until you can barely move won't help either. Besides, look at yourself, you're shivering."

Akira's jaw clenched and she attempted to stop herself from shivering, but to no avail. The wind and the rain had seeped to the bone, chilling the deepest part of her being.

"It is because you are stopping me from moving. If I were to move - to train - I would not be shivering."

"Quit being so stubborn!" Kakashi exclaimed. "Get out of the rain and go home! Relax like you should have done weeks ago!"

"Relaxing will not help me overcome Orochimaru's power!" Akira shouted. Immediately she regretted her words.

"Orochimaru's power?" Kakashi commented. "So that's what this is about."

"I did something stupid. I asked you to give me the liberty of protecting Sasuke at any cost. The cost was the sanctity of my mind, body and soul, and I did not even succeed in protecting Sasuke," Akira admitted, both sadly and irritably. "Orochimaru's power flows through my veins, and I allowed it. I permitted it. His power flows through me because I thought it was the only way I could help Sasuke. And now... and now I feel soiled, contaminated. Everything that I accomplish from now on will be soured by the fact that the power I am using is not my own. I did not want this power, I did not want to be corrupted this way. But it is too late, and all I can hope for is to become strong enough that I do not need to use his power to defeat my enemies and succeed in battle. So, I have to train. To get rid of... this."

Akira looked so dismal standing in the rain, hair and clothes clinging to her body. Her face held no happiness, only a mournful bitterness. He felt bad. He should never have let her go after Sasuke. She would have listened to him, too. Sometimes Kakashi forgot how much respect Akira had for him. Kakashi sighed. He walked towards her, and Akira frowned at him, but she didn't protest when he flung an arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her away from the lake. Akira would have been surprised by her actions in any other case, but her entire body was tired and the events of today numbed her mind into sadness. She didn't have it in her to protest.

"We'll train together once you're fully rested," Akira heard Kakashi say through the sound of the pounding rain. "For now, though, it's a change of clothes and a hot bowl of ramen for you. Can't have you getting a cold on top of your current predicament."

Akira chuckled and smiled, looking up at Kakashi. Although he would call it common sense, she was grateful for his kindness. And now that Team Seven was disbanded, Sakura couldn't call favouritism. The thought made Akira smile even more.


	57. Dreamless Sleep

Though Akira's eyes were wide open, her heart pounding, the girl's mind was completely empty. It's as if a hypodermic of adrenaline had been emptied into her carotid artery. She strained to sit in the utter darkness, breathing rate beginning to steady. It wasn't the same nightmare as before. There were no signs of her deceased family or of Itachi, rather the face of Orochimaru and the sound of his laughter, mingled with the recognizable cries of Sakura and Naruto. Akira took a deep breath and shook her head. It was only a dream. But if it was only a dream, why did the pit in her stomach remain?

Akira swung her feet over her futon and passed her hands over her face, sighing. She stood, wandering to the shōji and sliding them open. The pond-side air was pungent with the fragrance of jasmine and cherry blossoms. Akira stepped forward, wrapping her kimono around her body, and crouched down. From six feet up the surface was an opaque green, but from just two it was clear enough to see the plants and life below the surface. She had expected the highly coloured koi, something she'd added to the pond as her mother once had, and she wasn't disappointed. They were huge and numerous, each about as long as her arm. Akira gazed across the surface to the lily pads in bloom, their white or magenta petals catching the breeze. She inhaled slowly, smiling softly. The restored Uchiha compound her little piece of heaven in the urban jungle of Konohogakure. But the pit in her stomach remained.

Akira went back to shut the doors to her room and made her way around the house on the engawa, quickly reaching the main area of the household. She paused a little, staring at the kitchen her mother used to use, but quickly regained her composure and began to make herself some tea and ozoni for breakfast. Sitting alone at a table made for five people left room for silent thinking. Why couldn't she shake this feeling - the feeling of dread growing in her stomach? It had only been a dream. She'd had dreams before. This seemed like something completely different though. The dream lingered with her even as she rose, when normally the mid-night thoughts left as soon as she exited her room. And yet, here she was, sipping on sencha in the dining room, still perturbed by her nightmare.

How long was it, really, from here to Otogakure in the Land of Sound? With Naruto and Jiraya heading there together, considering both their natures, it would take a few days to reach it. They had to gather intelligence, question people. That took time. Akira suspected that they hadn't even arrived yet. Plus, they had to find the base, as well. That would prove to be difficult with Orochimaru choosing its location. If Akira tried to go... she'd follow in their footsteps, or deduce the location without their help. She'd witnessed enough of Orochimaru's personality enough to know what sort of place he'd hide himself. Akira sighed. There was no way she was going, though. It was just a dream. Naruto and Sakura were fine. Besides, Lady Tsunade had explicitly forbidden her from accomplishing any missions for another five days. Akira was powerless.

Akira jumped at the sound of a soft knock behind her. She turned to find Kakashi standing in the doorway. The girl sighed in relief. She hadn't been paying attention. If it had been anyone else, Akira could have been in trouble. How could she be so distracted?

"Oh, Kakashi, it is you," she said softly, chuckling, a little embarrassed by her jumpiness.

"Did I catch you at a bad time? You seemed to be deep in thought there," he asked in his usual toneless voice.

"Not at all. Come in. There is ozoni and tea on the stove if you have not had breakfast yet."

Kakashi nodded and served himself a cup of tea, lowering his mask as he sat himself opposite to Akira.

"This place is beautiful, by the way. You added koi to the pond?"

Akira looked up from her bowl to Kakashi, her midnight blue eyes landing on his charcoal ones.

"For nostalgic purposes," Akira replied calmly. "My mother used to have koi in the pond and she would spent hours watching them. As for the garden, well, it helps when you can stimulate the soil for minerals and grow the plants by manipulating the water inside them. I guess you could say that I grew them myself."

"You combined Earth and Water-based Chakra?" Kakashi said, looking a bit surprised.

Akira glanced at him - it was the first time she'd actually seen this emotion from him without the mask. She chuckled.

"I did not suddenly learn how to use Wood-Release, Kakashi. You realise that it is a kekkei genkai - a bloodline trait. So, no, I used them independently."

"Right," Kakashi said, shaking his head at his absurd thought.

"Besides, Wood-Release was the kekkei genkai of the First Hokage. His only living relative is Lady Tsunade, and she doesn't possess his bloodline trait anyway."

"Where do you learn all this?"

"Have you ever bothered reading the scrolls that are put at the disposal of Chūnin?" Akira chuckled, sipping on the last of her tea. Kakashi gently shook his head. "Have you ever been to a library? Read anything other than those Icha-Icha books?"

Kakashi shook his head again, eyes looking away, as he was a little embarrassed. Akira laughed and stood, heading back to the kitchen.

"Not surprised." Akira put all the dishes in the sink to wash later. "You are here for training, or were you simply here to make sure that I was still resting? It _has_ been a few days since I last strained myself. I feel quite refreshed."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want a repeat of last time," Kakashi said, an eyebrow raised. He still hadn't put his mask back on. "Unless you want to go back to the hospital?"

"N-No I do not!" Akira protested, shaking her head. "But I am certain - I am ready to train again."

"Good. Let's go."

"What! Now? I am still wearing my sleepwear, had you not noticed."

"Oh, uh, no, I didn't," Kakashi said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Give me five minutes, I will be right back."

Smiling and shaking her head, Akira turned her back to Kakashi and left the kitchen, kimono swaying in her wake. Kakashi blinked a few times and shook his head, pulled up his mask, then seated himself on the edge of the engawa, looking out at the colourful garden. Akira returned a few minutes later fully dressed, as she tied her hair in the same manner she usually did. Her Katana were sheathed and attached at her waist, and her gourd full of water was strapped to her back. Kakashi stood.

"I have something for you," he said. Akira frowned as Kakashi pulled out a backpack he'd presumably left beside the door outside and took out a flak jacket and forehead protector. The girl's face softened. "You should have these back."

"Thank you."

Akira swung on her flak jacket and zipped it up, swinging her arms around to get used to the feel of it again. Her bandanna was attached to her forehead once again, two locks of hair passing over it on either side of her face. Akira took a deep breath and smiled. It felt good to wear these again.

"Ready?"

"As I will ever be."

They were hours into training now. An hour ago the sunset had radiated across the clouds, turning it molten orange with bands of pink. Now it was gone and Kakashi and Akira stood in training ground three, under the moonless sky. There was only the minimal light of the stars to tell Akira that she and Kakashi were outside. They'd started off just sparring, using kunai, shuriken and Akira's Katana to get at each other. Both of them had a few scrapes, and bruises were sure to appear in a few days. That was just a warm-up. They transitioned into training Akira's already developed ability with Lightning and Water-based Jutsu. Kakashi taught her a few new Lightning-based Jutsu: first it was the _Chidori Light Sword_ which, as the name suggested, allowed Akira to concentrated the Chidori into her Katana; a lightning blade Jutsu named _Thunderbolt_ , which summoned bolts of lightning from the sky to attack nearby enemies; as well as a technique Kakashi called _Lightning Flicker_ , which consisted of throwing a lightning Chakra-infused fūma shuriken at the opponent, knocking them back, and whose electric trail, if touched by anyone, could shock an opponent into a coma. Kakashi didn't know many Water-style Jutsu, so Akira ended up educating her former sensei in the end. At the very least, however, he managed to teach her one new Jutsu simply called _Water Blade_ which, of course, created a water blade that surged from any body of water, and one direct hit could slice through flesh _and_ bone.

At the moment, in the darkness of the night, Kakashi was attempting to teach Akira Earth-based Jutsu, however it was difficult since her natural affinities were both complementary and opposite to Earth-style Chakra: Lightning was effective against it, but Water weak. The only Earth-based move she'd learned was the Earth-style variation of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, which Orochimaru had taught her. However, learning how to create pillars of rock that protrude from the ground at an alarming speed was something completely different, and apparently quite difficult.

"Tori!" Akira shouted, her hands in the bird hand-seal.

Concentrating Chakra in her hands, Akira slammed her palms on the ground and waited a few short seconds. When she looked up, only a small bump had risen from the ground. The girl groaned and stood back up.

"We have been at this for two hours, Kakashi. I should be getting this, by now," Akira complained. "I learned all the other Jutsu in under thirty minutes!"

"You are naturally affiliated to Lightning and Water-style Chakra. It's completely normal for you to be struggling with this right now," Kakashi said calmly, reading one of his Icha-Icha books. "Learning things that are quite literally against your nature isn't easy. It took me forever to master the Fire-style."

"It is easy for you to say! I do not even know what Earth-style Chakra feels like. How can I know I am concentrating the proper thing? And this-" Akira demonstrated the bird seal "- this is a Wind-style seal! What if I accidentally do a Wind-based Jutsu!? That would defeat the purpose!"

"I think you've had enough training for one day, kid," Kakashi said, putting his book away. "We can start up where we left off tomorrow."

"No, I will not return home until I have accomplished this!" Akira retorted. "I will stay out here all night if I have to!"

"Akira, your Chakra will be depleted and you'll have no choice but to use the Mark - do you want that?"

Akira's mouth opened to protest, but no sound came out. She sighed and closed her mouth, running her hands over her face, defeated. The girl nodded despite herself.

"You are right. I will go home and rest."

"Asuma, Kurenai and Shikamaru are all at Yakiniku-Q for a late dinner."

"And you wish to join them?" Akira asked. She shrugged. "Then go. I am not your guardian, Kakashi."

"I know," Kakashi chuckled. "I was wondering if you wanted to join us." Akira looked up at her former sensei, eyebrows furrowed. "I've noticed you've been spending much of the week without many people surrounding you, or to talk to," Kakashi stated, putting a few kunai and shuriken back into his bag. "I thought you could use some company."

Akira blinked a few times, mind whirring a thousand miles a minute. Spending time with Kurenai and Asuma... out of Academy context? The thought was odd. But since she was officially a Chūnin, now. It made sense that she'd learn about her new comrades a little more. Besides, it wouldn't be that bad if Shikamaru was there as well. Akira pulled her kimono back on and tied it loosely around her middle.

"All right. I will join you. I could use some good barbecue after all this training," the girl smiled.

Shikaku had come to collect Shikamaru about an hour after Akira and Kakashi had arrived, grumbling something about his mother being worried, and left a few minutes later. But the festivities between Asuma, Kurenai, Kakashi and Akira lasted for another few hours, until the restaurant owner kicked them out and Asuma was mildly tipsy off sake. Akira didn't know how long Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, Shikamaru and herself were at Yakiniku-Q. It didn't seem too long because good company made time fly like the wind. However, the sky had become a few shades lighter, turning indigo instead of raven by the time Kakashi had escorted Akira back to her compound. She watched the man walk down the path to her home, until his figure disappeared in the darkness, then she retreated back inside. Akira shed her shoes, her kimono, her shirt, her pants and her hair tie, then let herself fall onto her futon with a quiet thump. For the first time in years, Akira fell into a dreamless sleep. Smiling.


	58. Teacher

Akira's eyelids tugged themselves open the next morning. They were tired, almost in pain. She couldn't imagine how Asuma felt after drinking too much sake the night before. As Akira sat up, she could feel every muscle in her body straining to function. Swiftly, the girl stood, ignoring the pain, and stretched her body before getting dressed. Tension was relieved from her muscles and Akira sighed in satisfaction. Training yesterday was more brutal than she thought, and the late night at Yakiniku-Q probably didn't help either. Akira looked at the time: it was almost noon. She sighed and pulled on a thin kimono over her underwear, then slid open the shōji to let in the midday sunlight. The beauty of the garden was incredible, like a colour palette made to alleviate the strain on someone's eyes, and the soothing sound of the sōzu reached her ears, a constant noise of reassurance.

Soon the kitchen was filled with the scent of sukiyaki, miso soup and sencha, and once again Akira sat alone at a table made for five people. This time she sat were her father would usually sit and stared outside, the garden keeping her company. The girl's mind drifted towards Naruto and Sakura. She hoped they were okay. The ominous feeling she had yesterday had dissipated, nearly gone, but there was still uncertainty left un-dissipated. Akira did the dishes before heading outside to sit by the pond and watch the koi. The sun was beating down on her, it's warmth soothing her tense muscles, and almost rendering her kimono see-through. If anyone were to show up, Akira would be greatly embarrassed about her attire, running inside to cover up, but they would be fascinated (in a perverted sort of way, Akira would think). Even though she was only a teenager*, Akira's beauty was sublime, almost ethereal: her ivory skin shone in the sunlight, almost glowing. Indigo eyes were framed by eyelashes as dark and as soft as her ebony locks, and her rose coloured lips spread into an effortless smile as her fingertips played at the edge of the water. Gone where the days boys had crushes on her in the Academy. Now, she was truly beautiful, and anyone who laid eyes on her could recognize that.

Akira stood and left the pond-side to get appropriately dressed before heading out of the compound, Katana and gourd strapped to her body. Her feet lead her to the hospital, mostly to visit Kiba, but also to see if a medical-nin could remove the tension from her muscles, allowing her to train some more. She passed the spot where she and Kai used to meet up, finding it deserted, and sighed, ignoring the sakura petals that fell in her hair. The shopkeepers of the main street greeted her as usual, and she spent a few minutes chatting with them and trying to refuse a bracelet that one of them wanted to give her. In the end, the blue and black kumihimo-style bracelet was attached to her left arm and the girl was back on her way to the hospital.

"Is there a medical-nin available to relieve tension in my muscles?" Akira asked as she reached the front desk of the building.

"Coming here of your own free will, I see. People will think you've gone crazy."

Akira's head turned and she spotted Shizune, smirking at her. A shiver ran through Akira's body and she almost had the urge to run away, terrified she'd be put back onto a hospital bed. A little squeak came through her lips.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to strap you to a hospital bed," Shizune said, answering Akira's unspoken question. The girl sighed with relief.

"I got plenty of rest, as required. I simply trained too hard yesterday," Akira explained. "And then I went out for a late dinner with... comrades."

"Come on. I'll have a look at you."

Akira bowed gratefully and followed Shizune into an empty room. She lied down on her stomach, as instructed, and waited a few minutes as Shizune prodded her back. Soon, a warm sensation was felt on the totality of her back and the tension slowly disappeared.

"Thank you," Akira said politely.

"No problem. You should rest properly next time you train so hard, though."

"I am sorry... for worrying you all."

Shizune stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at Akira. She was sitting at the end of the hospital bed, looking down at her hands in shame.

"Worrying us?"

"For leaving the hospital all the time, worrying the nurses," Akira clarified. "I just... Never mind. Thank you Shizune."

"What did you want to say, Akira?" Shizune asked, worry etching itself onto her features.

"I just... I know it is not an excuse for my behaviour, but I remember my parents lying down in these beds, being examined... It is why I am not fond of remaining here for too long. But also because some part of me thinks that if I stay here too long, I will end up like them. Inert and lifeless.

"'Shinobi rule number seventeen: a Shinobi must never show weakness.' I fear that I have broken that rule, for I do have a weakness and it has been exposed. I fear for Sasuke, I fear for my friends. I know that I must care about my comrades, but this is so much more than that. I fear for them so much that I would go to any lengths to protect them. I would sacrifice the mission in its entirety if I was able to save my friends... I would give my life for them. Does that make me a bad ninja?"

"What!? No!" Shizune gasped, panicking. She wasn't in the habit of comforting people. "It doesn't make you a bad shinobi at all! I mean, breaking or disrespecting rules is bad, but the other people's lives will always be more important than any textbook rule! Wanting to save your comrades is normal!"

"I feel that it is wrong of me to completely disregard them. I am a Shinobi, should I not be upholding the rules and telling others to follow them? What kind of Chūnin am I to disregard them?"

Akira looked up at Shizune's face. Sensing her panic, Akira backed off.

"I am so sorry, I did not mean to dump all this on you!" Akira explained, flailing her arms, embarrassed.

"No! It's fine!" Shizune said, waving it off. Her face became serious. "It's important to accomplish the mission, but if you manage to save everyone's lives when you know the mission will go south... then that is a great accomplishment for me. Look at Shikamaru. His mission to bring you and Sasuke back was a failure, but everyone on the team came back alive, and the Hokage couldn't fault him for it. It was a welcomed bonus when Gaara brought you back with Rock Lee."

Akira smiled and bowed in thanks to her.

"Oh, there's no need for bowing! I'm only the Hokage's assistant not the actual Hokage!"

"It matters not. I bow to everyone as a sign of respect. I have to uphold the good name of Uchiha, do I not?"

"I'm sorry about Sasuke," Shizune said sadly.

"So am I."

"Oh, and Akira?"

Akira turned to face Shizune, eyebrows furrowed.

"Naruto and Sakura are back."

Relief washed over Akira like a tsunami and her feet darted off as fast as they could take her. She didn't bother using roads this time, opting to cross over roofs and trapeze on electrical wires instead, kimono floating behind her. She arrived at the gates of Konohagakure in mere moments, landing just beneath the gate to the village. From afar, she spotted a head of white hair and she could only imagine that being master Jiraya. Akira sighed in relief once again, the waves of emotion finally subsiding and her heartbeat calming down again. Soon, Sakura, Naruto, in Jiraya's arms, and Jiraya himself had reached her. Sakura blinked a few times.

"Akira?" she said, confused. "What're you doing here?"

"I came to greet you, of course," the Uchiha smiled. "Can I not be worried about my friends' safety?"

Sakura smiled and briefly hugged Akira, which came as a welcome surprise. No longer did Akira have to worry about them, no longer was she alone.

"What've you been up to, Akira?" Naruto asked, from up in Jiraya's arms.

"I got suspended for trying to help Sasuke on my own, for one thing."

"What!?"

"It is all right, I quite agree with the sentence. I am simply happy that I was not entirely removed from the Chūnin program." Akira turned and began walking again, Sakura catching up to her. "Kakashi has taught me quite a few jutsu, as well, so my training has progressed. Since I have had so much time on my hands, I have also managed to restore the Uchiha compound to its original glory. Something that is needed since I am now the only heir to the family. I have also begun living there again, so you two should come and visit sometime. The gardens are really beautiful."

"You have a garden?"

"Yes, with flowers and trees and even a koi pond."

Sakura found that Akira having a garden was surprising. She didn't seem like the kind of girl to spend hours slaving over a flowers, or even liking flowers at all. But the flowers conversation continued until everyone was at the hospital and Naruto was being bandaged up by a few medical-nin. Sakura pulled Akira aside for a few minutes.

"I need your opinion on something."

"Of course, what can I do to help?"

"When Naruto and I were out there, I had to protect someone, but I couldn't do anything. I was dead weight. And I don't know what I can do to change that," Sakura admitted, which saddened Akira.

"Think about what you are good in. You are amazing at Chakra control, even more than I am, and you are outrageously smart," Akira stated. "From what I have heard of Shikamaru's mission to save Sasuke and I, what people really needed was medical assistance."

"Are you saying that I should... study medicine?"

"You have all the qualifications for it, Sakura. Who knows, maybe you could become the greatest medical-nin to ever exist."

"Don't make me laugh, everyone knows that Lady Tsunade is the best. The only way to surpass her would be to..."

Sakura stopped in her tracks and Akira smiled. They were thinking the same thing.

Moments later, the medical ninja left the room and Naruto began complaining about not being able to eat ramen with his bandaged hands. All of a sudden, Sakura stood up and walked to the door.

"Sakura?"

"Sorry, Naruto," the pink-haired girl said softly. "You may have to wait for me a little bit. But next time, I promise I won't be dead weight."

Sakura left, and Akira smiled. Naruto looked at her, confused. But Akira didn't want to tell him anything. This was Sakura's journey, and it was up to her to tell Naruto what she was going to accomplish. Just then a ninja appeared at the door, requesting her presence.

"You do not have to be so formal, Shikamaru, it is only me," Akira chuckled, standing up to follow her friend. "I will see you later, Naruto. Rest up!"

"I know I don't have to be formal, but this is a request from Chūnin to Chūnin," Shikamaru said, as they walked. "I figured it was better that way, or does it just sound weird?"

"It simply sounds odd, Shikamaru. In any case, you know that I have been suspended from missions, right? As punishment for going after Sasuke alone."

"I already cleared it with Lady Tsunade, so don't worry. Besides, it's not really a mission."

"Then what is it?"

"You probably know we're still short staffed literally everywhere since Orochimaru attacked the village. I've gotten the Hokage's approval to start asking people if they wanted to help teach at the Academy until most of our ninja return from missions."

"You want me to teach? Do you even know how hard on people I am, Shikamaru?"

"Which is great. We need someone to keep these midgets in line so they learn properly. With all the threats coming our way lately, I think you'd be one of our greatest assets," Shikamaru explained. "I've already asked the three Sand siblings to help out and they've accepted. Temari is covering tactics and Kankuro and Gaara have agreed to teach basic ninjutsu."

"Temari, Gaara and Kankuro have accepted... to teach?" Akira said, dumbfounded. "That is a surprise."

"So, are you in?"

"What would I teach?"

"I figured you would be better off teaching taijutsu. Out of everyone I asked to teach, you're the best; Kunai and Shuriken are second-nature to the Uchiha, and you have your own specialty." Shikamaru glanced down at her Katana. "You can use bokken and teach them how to use larger weapons."

Akira had once thought of teaching, like Iruka-sensei. Since she was suspended, and this was only a temporary position, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to see if she enjoyed teaching a bunch of snot-nosed midgets. However, this would get in the way of her usual training, but as Shikamaru said, and what she had also thought of, was that she would be pushing her own talents on younger students, making the future generation a stronger one. Akira sighed, then smiled.

"All right, Shikamaru. I will teach."

* * *

 _*In the original timeline, Akira would be 11-12 years old, twin to Sasuke. In Shippuden, they're 16-17 years old. However, for the purpose of this story (and my personal opinions), Akira and all the others her age will be around 15-16 years old instead. When I get to the Shippuden Arc, they'll all be 18-19 years old. Everyone else that isn't in the Konoha 11 (excluding the Sand Siblings, to which I am also applying this "rule") remains the same age. I know it throws off a couple of things, namely age-specific events, but I find it necessary for the proper development of this story._

 _Thank you for your understanding,_

 _Great White Snake_


	59. Mizuki's Return

Akira lead a number of young ninja through a brightly lit trail. Their feet stomped on the ground, clearing the tall grass which, in some cases, was taller than the children. When they came upon a large meadow, surrounded by the tallest of trees, Akira asked for the students to sit before her, in the grass. It tickled at her ankles. A few wildflowers hid in the tall grass below the trees, but the shorter grass the students were sitting on only contained a few clover. Excitedly they all sat down as asked and turned to look at their new professor. Some didn't think she was qualified enough to be doing this, but others, like Konohamoru and his gang, thought that there was no one better than Akira to be teaching them about Taijutsu. It didn't do any harm that she had taken them on a little field trip to start their training.

"Good afternoon, everyone!"

"Good afternoon, Akira-sensei!" the group of children chorused.

"As this is your first lesson with me, I decided to take it to a place I used to come to all the time to train my Taijutsu. If you look closely at the trees, you will see quite a few dents, holes and scrapes."

One by one, curious children turned their heads to observe the trunks of the trees. Sure enough, most of them were littered with deep cuts and punctures, new wood nearly shining underneath them all.

"What're we gonna do today, Akira-sensei?" Moegi asked, excited.

"Today, I am going to start by testing out how many basic ninja weapons you know," Akira stated, plopping a seemingly heavy bag onto the floor. A loud thump sounded and a few student recoiled at the sound. "Then, we are going to train a little. If we have time, I might even begin to teach you my specialty." Akira dropped a bundle of bokken onto the ground. "Kenjutsu."

The students who were skeptical at first were now interested by the prospect of training in Kenjutsu, and everyone's attention was captivated. Akira began showing them multiple ninja tools, such as Shuriken, Kunai and explosive tags, demonstrating their uses as they went. As a result, a few trees got cut or blown up, much to the amusement of the students. Then they all graduated to training. Each student took a tree and aimed Kunai and Shuriken at it, much like Akira did in the Academy herself. She went to check on each and every student, giving them tips or positioning their arms or bodies to make sure they had the correct technique. When Akira had seen improvement in at least more than half the students, she sat them back down and did a short recap before proceeding to what the students were most excited about.

"Kenjutsu," Akira began, "is regarded as a branch of Bukijutsu, which is the use of ninja weaponry in combat. Kenjutsu, refers specifically to sword techniques."

Akira pulled out one of her Katana, twirled it in her hands and knelt down, holding her blade in both hands to show it to her students. There was a collective chorus of amazement. She stood back up and put her Katana back into its sheath. She removed another object from her flak jacket, but simply held it in her hand. Akira noticed the curious gazes.

"Now, Kenjutsu is special because only two people are deemed worthy of using it. Can anyone tell me who?" Udon raised his hand. "Yes, Udon?"

"Only ninja and Samurai can use it, right?"

"That is correct. The Art of the Sword is reserved specifically for Shinobi and Samurai. What is great about it, is that a sword can be used with many other techniques like Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, sealing techniques called Fūinjutsu, Genjutsu and even Chakra flow."

"How the heck do you use a sword for Chakra flow?" a kid said.

"Like this."

The buzzing sound of the Sword of the Thunder God resonated in the meadow and bright yellow glow of the Chakra cast a golden light on everything around Akira. The students' eyes were wide in fascination.

"Now this everyone, is the Sword of the Thunder God, a blade made completely of Lightning-style Chakra, that belonged to the Second Hokage."

"Woah, Akira-sensei! Where'd you get that!?" Konohamoru gasped.

"It was stolen years ago from the village and I took it back from the thief," Akira explained. "Now, as I am sure you all know, Lady Tsunade is the granddaughter of the first Hokage, so technically the sword is hers. When I came back to return it to her, she told me to keep it."

"The Hokage gave you her uncle's sword!?"

"Her great-uncle's, but yes, she did," Akira said. "Now, what is special about this blade is that it is made entirely out of Chakra, which means that once you become accustomed to the sword, you can use its Chakra is if it was your own."

"Can you show us, Sensei?"

"Yeah, please!"

"Oh, all right."

Akira made the one-handed Lightning-Release seal and thrust the sword forward, sending a bolt of Lightning Chakra straight to a tree. Where the bolt it seemed almost as if someone had lit it on fire because it was charred. The students clapped and Akira bowed for fun. Then, the Uchiha put the sword away and went back to her Katana, pulling one of them out.

"Now, what I use is a variant of Nitōjutsu, which is a two-sword technique. Today, you guys will simply learn the basic Kenjutsu. So, everyone line up and grab a bokken!"

Everyone nearly jumped up and ran to the pile of bokken that laid on the ground beside Akira. Then she guided the students into properly positioning and distancing themselves so they didn't hit each other with the wooden sword. Akira taught them about proper stance and a few basic swings before letting them spar together for a short while. The Uchiha stood back for a while simply staring at the sparring students, trying desperately to get this right in front of their sensei. Akira smiled. They might have been snot-nosed midgets, but they were ninja when they really wanted to be.

"Hey, Akira-sensei! Kakashi-sensei is here!"

Akira turned her head to the left and Kakashi was in fact there, leaning against a tree.

"Akira-sensei?" he chuckled. "Something happened while I was on a mission."

"I am simply teaching while most of the Chūnin teachers are out on missions," Akira stated. "As a favour to Shikamaru I took up Taijutsu and weapons training. As you can see, today is weapons day."

"Teaching them the Art of the Sword, I see."

"Not really. You have to be thirteen to learn the Art. This is basic Kenjutsu."

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, can you sword fight?" a student asked, gaining the attention of every other student.

"Huh? Well, I can hold my own, I suppose," Kakashi said pensively.

"I wanna see Akira and Kakashi-sensei sword fight!"

"Yeah, me too! I wanna see who's better!"

"All right, come on guys, class is over, we have to pack up," Akira chuckled, shaking her head.

"Aw, come on, Akira-sensei! I wanna see you kick your old sensei's butt!" Konohamoru exclaimed.

Akira looked over at Kakashi who shrugged and picked up a bokken. The girl laughed and put her Katana away, picking up a bokken as well. They faced each other and bowed, Kakashi a little unsure as to what he was doing. Akira then rose her bokken over her head and dashed forward with an intensity that surprised Kakashi. He went into a defensive position and Akira smirked, instantly lowering her bokken and striking at the legs. Kakashi was wobbly, completely off-balance, and Akira struck again, this time on his shoulder. He blocked that one, just barely, and swung his own bokken out haphazardly. Akira dodged it completely, swiftly moving behind Kakashi and jabbing him in the shoulder, sending him forward to the ground. She flipped him over and pointed the tip of her bokken at his neck, stepping down on his own weapon. Kakashi raised his hands in defeat. Akira had barely broken a sweat.

"You can hold your own, you say?" Kakashi shrugged. "You went easy on me, old man."

"I'm making you look good in front of your students."

The sounds of cheers drowned out Akira laughter as she helped Kakashi stand. The kids gathered up all the equipment and put it all back into Akira's backpack and even bundled up the bokken for her. She thanked them all and strapped everything back onto herself, then told the students to follow the path back to the Academy. Kakashi and herself kept up the back of the line.

"I have to admit I was a little thrown off by your enthusiasm at the beginning there," Kakashi chuckled. "Who taught you all that, by the way?"

"I have always been fond of swords, and when Itachi saw my fondness for them he got me my first blade. As an Anbu he was trained with a sword, so he just lent me all his scrolls and helped me learn the art." Akira chuckled. "Most of my weapons training comes from him, actually."

"That explains why you're so good at it."

When they'd all reached the Academy again, Akira dismissed her students to their last class with Temari, and she went to the storage unit to put all the weapons away, Kakashi in their wake. The Uchiha looked up at him.

"I am sure Lady Tsunade did not let you return from your mission without giving you another, so why are you still here?"

"To give you this." Kakashi gave Akira a slip of paper. "From Shikamaru. Apparently you're needed somewhere."

Moments later Kakashi had disappeared. Akira opened the letter and gasped. She stuffed it in her pocket, made sure she was stocked up on ninja tools then disappeared in flash. Akira reappeared at the edge of the village, standing on top of the gate. She placed her hand down on it and activated her sensory ability, quickly locating the people she was trying to find. It didn't take more than a few minutes for her to reach Shikamaru, Ino and Choji, who were gliding through the trees with great speed.

"Glad you could make it," Shikamaru said.

"I am still prohibited from accomplishing missions, Shikamaru! Unless you cleared this with Lady Tsunade..."

"I did, don't worry. And she's ending your suspension effective immediately."

"Good. So, what are we dealing with?"

"Fūjin and Raijin, the Legendary Stupid Brothers," Ino said simply.

"Great. Bring any snacks you are willing to sacrifice, Choji? Because that is all they want."

"They'll be dealt with. Our concern is getting Naruto away from them," Choji said.

"Why is it Naruto always finds himself in these messes?" Akira sighed.

"That's not all. Mizuki is behind all of it," Shikamaru added, much to Akira's displeasure.

"Of course he is."


	60. Mindless

Shikamaru, Ino, Choji and Akira arrived just in time to prevent Naruto from getting himself split in half by the Stupid Brothers. Akira used her Shocking Soak Jutsu and paralyzed the brothers temporarily, as they were too large for a permanent paralysis, and then Shikamaru kept them inert by using his Shadow Possession Jutsu. Naruto crashed to the ground then looked up at his saviors, momentarily confused as to why they were all there. But he soon found out that it was Lady Tsunade who had ordered them all to his rescue. Soon however, Shikamaru was beginning to have difficulties holding the brothers because of their strength.

"Naruto, you and Akira keep going after Mizuki, leave these two idiots to us three," Shikamaru said. Akira turned to him, about to protest. "This isn't a suggestion, Akira."

"Fine. Do not get yourself killed or I will murder you."

Shikamaru chuckled and Akira dragged Naruto along with her, away from the two oversized brothers. Naruto couldn't stop looking at the worried look on her face, but the second she'd turn to him, her face would return to normal. Naruto lead Akira to the trail that Mizuki and Iruka-sensei had taken after being separated. They ran through an extensive amount of bamboo, which Akira didn't find normal. There weren't bamboo groves this big anywhere. The girl asked Naruto to stop while she dispelled the Genjutsu and, as expected, the bamboo slowly started to disappear like a mirage. Before them, a large three story building had appeared. It was old and seemed abandoned, moss growing inside the cracks of the stone. Akira stopped before it and blinked slowly, revealing her Sharingan.

"What do you need that for?" Naruto asked. "There's no one here."

"There might be no one here Naruto, but if there are traps my Sharingan with greatly enhance my response time," Akira explained.

Naruto nodded, agreeing with her statement, and they both watched everything closely, moving forward, to detect any traps. Akira and Naruto were suddenly nearly knocked back by an enormous explosion. It was as though a fist of orange flame had decided to punch it's way out of the building. Cracked windows finally shattered. Smoke and fire rushed out. Thousands of pieces of glass and rock, a deadly rainfall, showered down. A huge bite had been taken out of the side and the roof of the building. Akira's eyes went wide. How many paper bombs would that have taken?

"Wait, was Iruka-sensei still inside!?"

Naruto and Akira didn't waste any time answering that question and darted forward towards the crumbled building. As soon as they approached the crater where the building once was, Naruto spotted Iruka-sensei getting out from underneath a large stone he had apparently used as a shield. Akira let out a breath of relief, but her guard still wasn't down, Sharingan analyzing everything: Mizuki was most likely still out there. Iruka had a few cuts and a few bruises, but it was nothing serious to everyone's relief.

"Where is Mizuki," Akira asked sternly.

"Akira, Iruka-sensei is hurt! Can't you-"

"It's all right, Naruto. My injuries are minor, which I'm sure she noticed before asking," Iruka said, calming Naruto down. The man's eyes widened a little seeing the girl's Sharingan. "I don't know where he went. I had just enough time to shield myself from the blast. Must have been at least five pa-"

Akira held up a finger to silence Iruka and she turned her head to look over her shoulder. Someone was coming, she could sense them. As a precaution, Akira quickly slid out both of her Katana and waited, ready to launch herself at any moment. But Akira's threat radar soon turned itself off when a woman, who appeared to be a Leaf Kunoichi, approached the scene. She was unarmed and calm.

"Let me treat his wounds!" she called.

Akira nodded, allowing the woman to approach Iruka, Naruto and herself, but never looked away from her, hand ready to twitch in the direction of her throat if ever she did something Akira didn't approve of. However, the woman's request was genuine, and she removed bandages and ointment from her flak jacket to treat Iruka's wounds.

"Who are you?" Akira asked.

"My name is Tsubaki. I'm - was - Mizuki's fiancé."

"What!? Fiancé!?" Naruto exclaimed.

"This is the second time Mizuki has caused you trouble," the woman said, looking to Naruto then Akira. "You have my sincerest of apologies."

"So you know what's going on then, don't you?" Iruka asked. "You're aware that Mizuki broke out of prison."

"Yes," Tsubaki said, looking away shamefully. "The other day, he came by my home. I realised immediately and tried to stop him, but in the end I just let him go."

"The way he is now... there's nothing you could have done," Iruka said.

Sasuke's image flashed in Akira's mind and she couldn't help but feel for the woman. Neither of them had tried hard enough to save the ones they loved.

"No, I should have tried harder to stop him," Tsubaki continued.

"Sometimes, no matter how hard you try," Akira said calmly, putting her Katana away, "people do not realise what is good for them. It is not your fault that you could not stop him, it is his fault for not understanding that he is in the wrong."

"Iruka, Naruto, Akira... I'm begging you! You have to take me with you!"

"Even though Mizuki..."

"You probably think I'm crazy for asking, but the path he's on, no matter what I have to stop him."

"Tsubaki, I can understand how you must feel now," Iruka said. "But I'm sorry. I can't allow it."

"But... why?"

"How come she can't come with us!?" Naruto shouted.

"She would only hinder us! We can't waste any time!"

"With all due respect, Iruka," Akira began, foregoing the honourifics, "I am certain Tsubaki has more knowledge on Mizuki than any of us. She can probably lead us to him, knows where he would go next. Besides, she was kind enough to treat your wounds, this is the least we can do in return."

Iruka stared at Akira as her eyes returned to their usual shade of midnight blue, but they still held a hard gaze. Finally, Iruka relented and they all began their search. Tsubaki lead them all in a certain direction, and everyone followed. It was then she told the other three about his quest to find Orochimaru and gain the same power as the three Sannin. The scroll that Mizuki had Naruto and Akira steal was supposed to be a gift for him, so that Orochimaru would accept Mizuki into his "training program". Akira could only assume he would be given a Curse Mark similar to her own.

Soon, the four ninja came upon a cave, and Akira knew they were in the right place. The stench in the air, the aura that surrounded them... it was nothing good. The Uchiha pulled out her Katana again, gripping them firmly. She was ready for a fight. Just then, Mizuki came out of the cave, looking nothing like he once did. He was more muscular, his clothing ripped, eyes deranged. He was holding a beaker with a liquid the same colour her Curse Mark turned when activated - it was like lava.

"You guys sure are persistent, huh?" Mizuki said. "This is perfect. Even Akira joined the party. I was gonna take you down anyway, now's my chance."

"You lousy-"

Iruka held Naruto back and cut him off.

"Mizuki! Your twisted ambitions end here!" he said.

"Pompous as ever, eh Iruka? Too little, too late for that though. Same as always." Mizuki held up the beaker to his face. "Beautiful isn't it?"

Akira threw a kunai at the beaker, but by the time it reached Mizuki, he had already drunk the entire thing. The glass shattered and fell to the ground, a single drop of the lava-like mixture falling with it.

"You know, you pathetic ingrates should consider it an honour to become my first prey."

All of a sudden, Mizuki's body began to enlarge, muscles inflating unnaturally. Large stripes the colour of flames curved on his arms and they spread to the rest of his body in mere seconds before turning black like tiger stripes.

"So this is what he was after..." Naruto growled.

"Orochimaru's Curse Mark?" Iruka nearly gasped.

"You guys are going to have to stand back," Akira announced. Everyone looked at her with wide eyes.

"Why should we stand back and not you?" Iruka shouted, indignant.

"Because I have what he has."

There was a twitch in her shoulder and soon, Akira's body was littered with black flame-like markings, which took Mizuki by surprise. Akira only hoped that this was the most she would have to use the Curse Mark; she didn't want to fully transform in front of everyone like this. Akira felt the power surge through her body. The amount of Chakra that was in the air made Iruka and Tsubaki recoil, afraid and nauseous. Naruto on the other hand, feeling sub-par, launched himself towards Mizuki with a war cry to assert his own power as well. But Mizuki was fast, and he went to punch Naruto, but Akra was just as fast and she hit Mizuki's arm out of the way before colliding her fist into his stomach, making him fly back a few feet.

"This isn't possible!" Mizuki shouted, angry.

"Did you honestly think you were Orochimaru's only experiment?" Akira chuckled dryly, almost maliciously. She turned to her comrades. "If you want to stay alive, stand back!"

"Oh no they won't! I've got my eye on that little Nine-Tailed punk!"

Mizuki launched himself at Naruto again, but Akira interrupted him, using her Katana to slice down on Mizuki's arms. The man recoiled a bit and growled, dilated pupils fixating themselves on Akira this time. But Tsubaki distracted him, against Akira's recommendation, and latched herself onto Mizuki's arm, pleading for him to abandon this path. Mizuki stared at her for a long while, seemingly contemplating her words, but ultimately he ended up grabbing her by the collar and tossing her out of the way with incredible speed. Akira left Mizuki and dashed over to catch Tsubaki before she landed on a rock, most likely to break her back. During that time, Mizuki had engaged in another attack and kicked Akira down alongside Tsubaki. With a loud cry, Akira took the brunt of the impact.

"Akira! Tsubaki!" Naruto yelled.

Pain seared throughout Akira's body, but it wasn't coming from the impact she had just sustained. It came to her in waves, stronger and stronger by the minute. Akira's chest was heaving, her teeth bared in anger. She tried to calm down. The pain that ran through her body... it was an unwanted transformation. The anger she was feeling was bringing it out of her by force. Rock Lee and Gaara had already seen the second part of her transformation and that in itself was too many people. Akira heard Iruka yell, and a crash soon after. Another wave of pain rushed though her veins as anger surged through her mind. She could feel the bones in her body elongating, she could feel pointed claws piercing her skin, and she could feel her teeth getting longer and sharper by the second. Akira let out a blood-curdling scream, and at the same time so did Naruto. One last wave of pain rushed through Akira's veins before she began to feel her face change, crystal-like horns protruding out of her forehead like a crown. She felt an immense surge of power flow through her Chakra network, but it wasn't the same as last time. This time, the girl was mindless, her only intent... to kill.


	61. Monster Within

Bright red eyes locked themselves onto Mizuki. The mind didn't care that he'd changed too, become more powerful. All the mind could think of was death, and being the cause of it. Eyes saw Mizuki, but they didn't see the horrified looks on Iruka and Naruto's faces as they gazed upon her figure: pale white skin, indigo hair trailing on the ground behind her, claws as long as her fingers, teeth as sharp as a razor... The monster before them wasn't Akira, they could see it in her eyes.

Launching itself forward, the monster landed on Mizuki just before he could touch Naruto. It pinned him down and snarled in his face, teeth bared to intimidate its opponent. Mizuki's eyes widened, fearful. It made the monster happy, seeing the fear in its prey's eyes. Mizuki kicked at it, sending the thing backwards, but it landed perfectly on its four limbs, claws digging into the ground. It had barely come to a stop when it launched itself at Mizuki again, claws ready to tear flesh.

"I'll tear you apart with my bare hands!" the monster growled in a low, sadistic voice. "There won't be anything left of you!"

Indigo claws slashed down on Mizuki, cutting through the top layer of his skin like butter. With a yell, Mizuki fell back, but he wasn't fast enough to evade the monster anymore. The anger that rushed through it came up to her eyes, paralysing Mizuki. It was pure Killing Intent. All the man could do was try and evade the monsters lashes, its lunched, its jaw that could snap bone. But soon enough, Mizuki couldn't run anymore and he was trapped beneath the snarling monster. It looked at him with a sadistic smile and raised its arm to slash Mizuki's throat, but it stopped midair as Mizuki's body began to smoke and all of his power dissipated, leaving him barely more than a husk. The monster growled, starting to calm, and soon, Akira returned, kneeling beside Mizuki. She looked at her hands, the claws retreating and her normal ivory skin returning.

"I am sorry... that you had to witness that."

Akira stood, with difficulty, and began to walk away. Naruto tried to stop her, but Iruka held him back. She didn't even notice that Lady Tsunade was walking towards her, and when the Hokage stopped her, Akira only had to look up at her and she knew.

"Stay here."

Akira nodded stiffly and waited for Tsunade and a few medical ninja to stabilize Mizuki's condition. She gazed back at the injuries that she'd caused him in that form and she looked away, the gashed too deep and crude to look at for too long. The girl nearly felt sick to her stomach. Getting so angry that she caused this much damage... it wasn't good. She couldn't imagine the looks on Iruka and Naruto's faces when she was in that form. Terror, disgust... that's what she would feel.

"His body's cellular structure is disintegrating," Lady Tsunade said as she approached Mizuki, Iruka and Naruto. Akira looked back at them. "It's not Akira's fault, Mizuki. This is caused by the formula you took."

"What?" Mizuki said, loud enough for Akira to hear him this time. "That's impossible."

"You're getting a taste of your own medicine."

Tsunade walked away and let the medical-nin take care of Mizuki. They also updated her on the rest of the situation, which appeared to have stabilized. Akira followed behind the Hokage, Iruka and Naruto behind her, as another ninja told the Hokage Shizune was all right. It was the only thing that grabbed Akira's attention. At least Shizune was going to be fine. She was grateful to her for the unexpected advice earlier, as well as the muscle relief. It would be a shame to lose someone like that.

"It is nice to hear that Shizune will be all right," the girl said softly.

Tsunade turned to her and smiled, then spoke, "Orochimaru probably discovered that potion by accident while he was trying to develop some other illegal jutsu." Akira's hand went to rest on her neck. "All we know is that that substance absorbs the DNA of animals and combines it with the human genome. It draws huge primal power out of the body, and only lasts a short while. As it works, it puts an incredible strain on the host's body cells, stress that far exceeds the capacity of the human body. It's too dangerous for anyone to use."

"But why would Mizuki do that?" Iruka asked, and Akira almost scoffed at his naiveté.

"Orochimaru is a very persuasive individual," she said, sounding almost angry. "For someone like Mizuki, it probably would not have taken much to convince him. But even the strongest minds have a hard time resisting him."

Iruka gazed somberly at Akira, and so did Naruto. Of course, she was referring to herself and Sasuke. Iruka didn't really know what happened that day, but he could tell, by her face and what he saw earlier, that nothing good had gone down. He thought it best not to pursue it. Akira walked away and went to stand by Mizuki. Upon her arrival, his eyes widened, scared. Akira stared at him in disgust.

"If I had been like you, desperate for power, this is what I would have gotten."

"But you have Lord Orochimaru's power - you have it! How!?"

"That is none of your concern, Mizuki. What is of your concern, however... is that I beat you," Akira said tauntingly. "I beat you, and you will never beat me. You are doomed to stay this way forever, while my power only grows. Ponder that information, will you?"

Akira smiled, seemingly innocent, though there was clear malice behind it. And the girl stood, following Tsunade, Naruto and Iruka back into the village, wondering. Wondering what had just come over her to threaten Mizuki who, quite frankly, wasn't even a threat to a fly. Nervousness settled itself into her stomach. Maybe, just maybe, a part of the monster remained.

* * *

Akira, Kiba, Hinata and Shino walked into the hospital in silence. Akira had bumped into the trio on their way and, considering she and Kakashi had spent some time together off the clock, the Uchiha decided to join them. Hinata carried a bunch of pink flowers that she was going to give to Kurenai and Asuma-sensei. Their journey to the prison to recover Mizuki and the legendary Stupid Brothers had gone south and were confined to the hospital for a while. They were also going to visit Naruto.

What had transpired the day prior hadn't reached any ears or eyes beyond those of Naruto, Iruka and Tsunade, which Akira intended to keep that way. This was why it wasn't awkward to see Hinata, Shino and Kiba today - there was no reason for them to feel that way. Akira had a nagging feeling there would be an odd feeling between herself and Naruto for a while.

On their way to the designated hospital room however, the four young ninja crossed paths with Shizune and Lady Tsunade talking in the hallway.

"Oh, hey, you four!" Shizune greeted happily.

"You here to see someone in the hospital, too?" Lady Tsunade asked.

"Yes!" Hinata said enthusiastically.

"And you, Lady Tsunade?" Shino asked politely.

"Oh, well-"

"She just doesn't want to stay in the office," Shizune interrupted.

"Ah, zip it!" Tsunade scolded.

Akira's eyebrows furrowed, as did the other three's eyebrows. They didn't think much of it, however, as they had arrived to Kurenai and Asuma's room and Kiba began teasing Hinata, which Akira found quite amusing.

"Hey, Hinata. Try not to faint when you see Kurenai-sensei."

"Come on, don't bring that up right now!" Hinata protested.

"Something happened that I should know about?" Tsunade inquired.

"When Naruto was in the hospital-"

"Shino, don't!"

"She took one look at Naruto all bandaged up and keeled over!" Kiba continued for Shino.

"Kiba! This is different! I'll be fine this time!"

Kiba and Akira chuckled as Hinata hurried to open the door to Kurenai and Asuma's room, but instead of findind either sensei, Hinata was met face to face with a shouting Naruto, his feet stuck to the ceiling. His face couldn't be more than two inches from Hinata's. He was yelling about 'Grandma Tsunade' again, and didn't notice it was Hinata standing in front of him until her face became as red as a tomato.

"Oh, hey, Hinata!" he said, ignoring the red of Hinata's face as well as the scared and confused looks of everyone else. "Hinata? Hinata, what's the matter with you? Your face is looking a little red there, you okay? You got a fever? Let me feel your forehead."

Naruto placed his palm on Hinata's forehead, but it didn't take more than a few seconds before Hinata began to freak out. So much that she began to shout and unintentionally headbutted him, sending the yellow-haired ninja into the opposite wall. Hinata then proceeded to faint and fall backwards. Good thing Kiba and Akira were there to catch her. They placed her on a nearby hospital bed as Naruto grumbled something about how weird Hinata was, then he and Tsunade went outside to the courtyard, visible from where Akira sat. She was sitting in the window-sill, waiting for Hinata to wake, which didn't take too long, especially since Akamaru barked in her face for five minutes straight until she did wake up.

"Hey, you finally woke up," Kiba said in a teasing tone of voice.

Akira returned to the conversation Kurenai and Shizune were having. Asuma apparently had been dispatched earlier during the day. From the corner of her eye, Akira could see Naruto and Tsunade arguing in the courtyard.

"So, you're saying that Mizuki knew nothing?" Kurenai asked.

"Lady Tsunade even interrogated him herself. He didn't have any information that could lead to Orochimaru's current whereabouts," Shizune said.

"So after all that trouble... he was nothing more than one of Orochimaru's pawns."

"So it would seem, yes."

"Then we still don't know where Sasuke is..." Shino sighed.

Akira looked away to avoid everyone's gaze. Instead, she stared out at Naruto and Lady Tsunade.

"Yeah, so much for the knockdown fight I had with Mizuki..."

"Don't beat yourself up about it," Kiba tried to reassure."

"I am quite all right. To be honest, Naruto seems to be more affected by this than I."

"You're right," Shizune said. "And because of it Lady Tsunade can't get all her work done!"

Indeed, it seemed that Naruto was taking this information harder than Akira. Finding Sasuke was important, yes, but she'd overheard Jiraya speaking with someone - they had at least three years before Sasuke was going to be in real danger. It wasn't likely that any leads, for at least the next year, were going to be fruitful. Besides, was it really necessary to find him at all costs? Sasuke had chosen his path, Akira had chosen hers. If they were truly meant to reunite, they would. Time was all it would take.

"Grandma Tsunade, it's not fair! You gotta let me!" Naruto shouted.

"When I say no, I mean it!" Tsunade shouted back.

"Come on, already! How many times are you gonna make me ask!? Let me go out there and look for Sasuke!"

"Look! Enough is enough! Quit pestering me, it's not going to happen!"

"Give me one good reason!" Naruto demanded.

"Oh, I don't know - don't you have some training to do!?" Tsunade fired back.

"The Pervy Sage is gone okay!?"

"We have zero leads on either Orochimaru or Sasuke, all right! How do you think you're going to find him?"

"Look, I'll figure it out, okay!? If we're out of leads, we'll just have to dig some up! I'm begging you to let me go!"

"You're as stubborn as a mule!"

"Yeah? Well look who's talking! Can I go or not!?"

"Forget it!"

"When I put my mind to something I don't back down!"

"Oh, shut up!"


	62. A Day in the Life

Kiba had seen dirt underneath Akira's nails millions of times and always put it down to some intense training scenario in which she ending scraping the ground. It wasn't until he decided to visit her at the Uchiha compound, to make sure she was doing all right, that he truly knew why there was dirt under her nails on occasion. As a girl she'd learned how to care for a garden during her Kunoichi classes but she'd never expressed any appreciation towards it. However, her plants were always perfectly potted, her flowers perfectly arranged, and she was always able to tell chives from grass and rosemary from thyme. One of her projects was to grow lavender, and she did, giving it to her mother as a birthday gift. But between Kunoichi classes and Ninjustsu training, Akira had always gravitated towards Ninjutsu training.

Kiba had never seen Akira gardening of her own free will until he saw her out there, hair done up all messy, tank top clinging to her sweat and dirt between her toes. Those plants were her obsession, her distraction from everything, a symphony of aromas blending to an intoxicating perfection. Kiba took it upon himself to silence Akamaru, to watch Akira as she knelt down beside her lavender, carefully tugging out weeds from the dark dirt. Of course, one couldn't keep Akamaru silent for long, and soon he ended up weaving his way through the lavender, the jasmine and the wisteria, until he was sitting beside her, barking gently. Akira's head swiftly turned towards the small dog and she smiled sweetly, wiping her hands on her shorts before vigorously petting Akamaru.

"Hey, boy! What are you doing all the way over here? Where is Kiba?"

"Kiba's here."

Akira looked up from Akamaru and her eyes brightened. Her smile widened and she rose from her spot, dusting herself off.

"Kiba! What are you doing here?" Akira beamed.

"Just came to check up on you. You seemed kinda down the other day, so I was worried," Kiba explained.

"Oh! I am sorry to have worried you, but there is nothing wrong. I feel great!"

"Yeah, I can see that now."

"Did you want to come in? I can probably make us a quick lunch if you have the time."

"You sure? You seemed really into that gardening of yours."

"It does not matter - I have all day to finish this. Kakashi is only returning from his mission tomorrow. My training will resume then. Come on in!"

Akira grinned at Kiba and she waved him over, telling the boy to follow her inside the traditional Japanese home. It was unfamiliar territory for Kiba. Even before the Uchiha massacre, Kiba had never stepped foot inside the Uchiha compound, and walking in afterwards should have been a chore, but it wasn't. The place was beautiful and, despite it being deserted, the restoration that Akira had done made this place look more alive than it ever did before. It helped that the luscious gardens surrounding Akira's childhood home were so delightful that it completely erased the tragedy that had occurred.

They walked down the engawa and removed their sandals before entering the main room that branched off into the dining room and kitchen. The tatami mats were cool underfoot, but beams of sunlight piercing through the paper doors warmed Kiba and Akira's faces. Akamaru ran inside, taking the opportunity to run around inside, exploring the foreign space. There was a peaceful silence between Akira and Kiba as he leaned against the counter and watched Akira whip up a quick lunch of onigri and miso soup, his dark eyes following every movement she made. Bothered, Akira looked up at him from the corner of her eye.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just looking at you move."

"Why?" Akira asked, a little perplexed.

"You move like you're dancing. It's nice to watch," Kiba answered as if it were obvious.

A light shade of pink dusted the girl's ivory skin, and she turned back to the pot of tea she was brewing to hide it. Kiba chuckled and went to sit down at the table, bringing the onigri and miso soup with him. Akira shook her head and scoffed, chiding herself for her behavior.

"You know, you're allowed to talk to me if there's anything wrong," Kiba said as Akira sat down opposite to him with cups and the tea. "We're best friends. You can tell me anything."

"I am fine, Kiba. There is no need to worry," Akira tried to reassure.

"That's the thing. I'm always gonna worry about you."

Akira smiled halfheartedly. A worried look wandered into Kiba's eyes.

"It's about what happened with Mizuki, isn't it?"

Akira sighed, nodding despite herself.

"It's all that talk about the Curse Marks, right?" Kiba asked, stuffing his face with rice. "You do realise that I know you have one, right?"

Akira nearly choked on her tea. He knew? But she hadn't told him. As far as Akira was concerned, only Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto and the Hokage knew. Shikamaru had probably guessed from the encounter in the Forest of Death, but other than that... no one was supposed to know.

"Naruto kept bugging everyone about this Orochimaru crap. About how you and Sasuke went berserk in the Forest of Death during the Chūnin Exams. Something about a Mark on your neck." Akira's hand immediately touched the Curse Mark. Kiba gave her a knowing look. "See? I already know about it. Guess that potion crap with Mizuki spooked ya, right?"

"Something like that," Akira said softly. "Yeah... Spooked."

"Yeah, I'm still not convinced."

"Do you know what the Curse Mark does?"

"Nope. But you're gonna explain it to me, right?" Kiba said bluntly.

"The Mark was given to me by Orochimaru," Akira sighed, "and it contains his Chakra. While it is there, I have more Chakra to spare, I am stronger, faster. When I use it, with it comes great pain and, potentially, should I choose to use it, a second level. The second level - well, it changes you. Not only does it give you more... everything, it also changes the way you look, the way you sound. If I activate it myself, everything is fine. But yesterday... Yesterday I got so angry. I got so angry that the Curse Mark simply activated of its own free will."

"To the second level?"

"Yes. Naruto and Iruka-sensei were there to witness it, but I wish they had not. If the Curse Mark is released of its own free will I cannot control myself. I would have killed Mizuki yesterday if his body had not started to disintegrate, eliminating the threat. I was bloodthirsty, vicious, and even when Mizuki was down and I back to normal... I threatened him. I threatened a helpless man. It was like... it was like the monster was still inside me.

"And I am scared. I know that a Shinobi should never show emotion, show fear, but I cannot help it. What if this thing is slowly taking over my mind, changing me, turning me into something that I am not. How long will it take for me to be eradicated, this monster replacing whatever I was? What if-"

Akira was cut off by Kiba's warm embrace. Hugs like this were rare from him, and so Akira knew she should appreciate it as long as she could. Her worries didn't magically disappear, but at least the feelings of warmth and protection were there to soothe her temporarily, cutting off her panic. They stayed there for a while, Akira's head buried in the crook of his neck, the nape of her own neck tickled by the fur of his jacket's hood. Kiba didn't budge, not even when Akamaru tried to steal him away for his own hug. The pup understood, curling himself into a ball on Akira's lap, another source of warmth and affection.

"You are Akira Uchiha, my best friend, and you always will be," Kiba whispered. "Nothing's ever gonna change that, got it? Not even some freak like Orochimaru." Akira said nothing. "Kira?"

"Nothing will change that," the girl finally echoed.

And they stayed there in comfortable silence for while longer, listening to the peaceful and constant sounds of the sōzu and the rustling of the trees outside, until Kiba's stomach grumbled awkwardly and they resumed their meal. Smiles and laughter returned, almost as if nothing ever happened. Simply two best friends sharing a meal together.

* * *

As Akira walked out of her home a few days later, clad in her training outfit and kimono, she spotted Sakura waiting for her by the Koi pond. Akira smiled. The training Sakura was receiving from Lady Tsunade had given the girl a newfound confidence and she'd regularly come to Akira for some sparring practise to take a break from the medical ninjutsu she was cramming into her mind. The girls walked through the gardens together, exchanging playful banter and discussing the training they were both receiving: Sakura's from Tsunade and Akira's from Kakashi. Beside the gardens of Akira's home, and through a small path in a bamboo patch, the Uchiha had made a clearing, ripping out years and years of overgrowth to

At the moment, it was pure Taijutsu they were practising. Sakura had improved immensely, to the point where Akira no longer felt the need to hold back. They kicked and they punched and they dodged and they swerved, hair and clothing swaying with every move their bodies made, every gesture an evolution in their martial dance. But soon there was a break in the performance, and the pink-haired kunoichi flew through the air like a fluttering petal, landing on her backside. Akira wiped the sweat off her glistening forehead, a cool smile on her face. Sakura groaned as she stood back up, but she too had a smile on her face.

"You have gotten better," Akira stated, stepping towards Sakura.

"Not by much. You're still better than me," Sakura replied.

"Only through practise will you get better, Sakura. And I am positive you will get better."

"Thanks, Akira. Hey, do you mind if we take a break? It's already almost lunch time."

"Of course. Would you prefer if I made lunch or do you want to go out and eat?"

"I got a coupon for that Dango shop you seem to like, does that sound good?" Sakura smiled, pulling the coupon out of her pocket.

"It sounds great." I beamed back.

Akira and Sakura put a towel to the beads of sweat going down their foreheads and tossed into the house for Akira to pick up later before heading off towards the village. It was odd seeing them together. Not only because Akira used to have a profound hatred for the pink haired-girl, but also because their looks contrasted so much it was bizarre to look at. Pale pink versus pitch black hair. Midnight blue eyes versus mint green ones. A bright red outfit against a sombre black one. However, their smiling faces brought them together, in the odd Yin-Yang that they were, and the laughs that echoed in the restaurant blurred the lines that once separated the two. And the laughs continued on well into the day, until the golden rays of sunlight began to fade into pale purples and pinks. Akira stared at Sakura's retreating back, as they bid each other goodbye and smiled.

Today was a good day.


	63. The Curry of Life!

The wind rustling through the bamboo leaves masked the heavy breathing coming from Akira's mouth. Her feet were spread wide, anchoring herself to the ground. Her left hand held one of her Katana behind her back, pointing upwards, and her right hand held the other blade at the same level as her midnight blue eyes, pointing directly at Kakashi. As she'd expected, Kakashi had held back last time they'd fought with swords. The red tattoo on Kakashi's arm told her that he'd been Anbu, and Anbu were trained with the sword. It only made sense that he was good.

The sun was beating down on the two comrades and the garden surrounding the clearing. Bamboo swayed in the wind and it brought the scent of cherry blossoms and jasmine to Akira's and Kakashi's noses. The sōzu's gentle and constant tapping could be heard from their position as well, and Akira tried to sync her breathing to it, succeeding in only a few seconds. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and rolled her shoulders, ready to begin again.

"Already up for some more?" Kakashi chuckled.

"Always. You are no match for me, Kakashi," Akira quipped back.

Just as they were about to start up again, a Jōnin appeared before Akira, hands behind his back. He unfolded them and produced a scroll, handing it over to the young ninja. He disappeared the second that Akira took it. Unfurling it, Akira read its contents and sighed, then put her Katana back into their sheaths.

"Lady Tsunade requests my presence. I am being assigned a mission as Team Leader."

"That means you're leading the Genin again," Kakashi said. "Naruto's probably going to be there."

"And he better listen to me, as well as the other squad members," Akira sighed, picking up her discarded kimono. "Naruto rarely gets along with anyone and I do not want this mission getting jeopardized. I need as clean a track record as I can as a Team Leader."

"No one has a clean track record, Akira."

"I know, I know. I simply want the cleanest track record as possible because so far, my track record is having two brothers desert the village and turn some form of evil. That is what I am known for, and I do not wish to be associated to this any longer."

"What about Sasuke? Didn't you want to find him?"

"I have three years to make a name for myself and then I shall decide if he is worth saving. Until then, he is none of my concern. If Naruto wishes to destroy himself trying to find him, then I won't stop him, and if he asks for help, I gladly will, but I am not going to dedicate my future to picking up after my brothers. Their mess is their own to deal with."

Kakashi nodded solemnly and watched as Akira disappeared before his very eyes. She reappeared a far away, in the Hokage's office, standing next to Guy-sensei who was gushing about the success of his mission. Tears fell freely from his eyes as he dramatically talked to Tsunade. Akira only tuned into what he was saying when he stopped talking and began laughing hysterically. Tsunade calmly sipped her tea and nodded at Akira to acknowledge her presence then looked back at Guy.

"I have something I wanna put your squad on."

Guy immediately stopped laughing. Only then did he notice that Akira was there, and he let out a small screech, complaining about sneaking up on him. Akira only rose an eyebrow and looked back at Tsunade.

"We're stretched thin enough as it is, and yet somehow Naruto's managed to bring in more work," Tsunade sighed.

"And remember Guy, one of our clients has already asked for you specifically, for that one S-rank mission," Shizune added. She turned to Tsunade. "He'll have to set out today if he wants to make it on time."

"They won't be needing Guy."

"The day has finally come..."

"Your kids will go alone: Neji, Tenten and Lee."

Guy-sensei cheered so loudly Akira winced.

"You won't regret this either! My students will nail this believe you me!"

"Also," Tsunade began. "I am assigning Akira Uchiha as their squad leader, and Naruto will be joining them as well, since he's the one who brought this in."

"What's that about!" Guy-sensei shouted, suddenly outraged. "Listen I love those kids more than anything in this world and I'm telling you that they can handle it! Why can't they go alone!?"

"Akira is a new Chūnin, she needs all the experience she can get as a squad leader so she can perform better on higher ranked missions. And as I just said, Naruto found these guys, so he gets a spot on the team, too."

"Fine," Guy finally conceded.

Moments later, Neji, Lee, Tenten and Naruto were by Akira's side, all geared up and ready to go. Akira's flak jacket was fastened tightly to her body and she was also geared up, Katana in their respective places and gourd of water strapped to her back. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was staring at Tsunade seriously, giving off a stern aura.

"Those men that Naruto rescued are here to request our services," Tsunade said turning to face Akira after she shot a glare at Guy. "They came all the way from the Katabami Gold Mine, one of the most abundant mines in all the Land of Rivers. About six months ago, a bunch of goons calling themselves the Kurosuki family showed up and ran the magistrate out of town. They've taken over their village and apparently are killing people left and right."

"That is unforgivable!"

"Once these men have regained their strength, your objective is to escort them back to the Katabami Mine and take out this Kurosuki family. A simple mission, really, they're probably just a pack of money grubbing hoodlums."

"Then why the heck am I here? Sounds like a monkey could do this mission," Naruto complained, looking away in a huff.

"Who do you think you are!?" Tsunade said, glaring dangerously.

"Oh, come on, Grandma, I've got enough on my plate already. With training and looking for Sasuke-"

Akira huffed and grabbed Naruto by the collar, looking directly into his eyes.

"You think you are calling the shots here, Naruto? You are only a Genin and must take all missions given to you by Lady Tsunade!" Akira threw him away from her and turned to Tsunade. "I will not tolerate behaviour like this from him. If he hasn't shaped up by the time the mission begins, am I allowed to deny him a spot on this team?"

"Yes, and all future ones since I will be sending him back to the Academy," Tsunade said, glaring at the boy.

"Thank you. Neji, Lee, Tenten - see if you can get any information out of the recovering men. Don't push them too hard."

"Of course," the three ninja echoed.

"Report anything and everything to me."

The three nodded stiffly and left, followed by a grumbling Naruto. Akira turned to Tsunade.

"What can you tell me about the leader of this Kurosuki family?" she asked.

"His name is Raiga," Tsunade said, and that rang a bell. Guy confirmed her suspicions.

"I learned on a past mission that he is one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist."

"Another one? Shit... These men are everywhere. First Zabuza, then Kisame, and now Raiga." Akira pinched the bridge of her nose, annoyed. "Do we know what he wields?"

"Rumors only," Guy said. "Apparently he wields the Legendary Kiba." Akira's eyes widened. "This will be a unique challenge for you."

Akira demanded that the team meet before they set out on the mission. The three men from the Katabami Gold Mine would be at the gates to the village in approximately twenty minutes, and Neji, Tenten, Lee and Naruto were all standing before their team leader, waiting for her to begin speaking.

"It is only fair that since I demanded you report back to me, that I must report to you. Communication is key in any situation, especially when the mission becomes slightly more difficult than anticipated."

"What do you mean 'slightly more difficult than anticipated'?" Neji asked, confused.

"I spoke with Lady Tsunade and Guy-sensei - it seems that the leader of this Kurosuki family is Raiga, one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist."

"So?" Naruto asked stupidly.

"Naruto, Zabuza was one of them." Naruto's eyes widened. "And so was Kisame Hoshigaki, the guy who came to kidnap you alongside Itachi Uchiha."

"Oh."

"This time, it is Raiga Kurosuki and it appears that he wields the Kiba, the legendary lightning swords. As Guy-sensei put it - it will be a unique challenge for me. Before we move on, are any of you unfamiliar with Kiba?"

"Uhh, I only know the person," Naruto mumbled.

"Very well. Tenten, you are an expert on weapons, do you wish to teach Naruto?"

"All right!" she said proudly. "The Kiba are two swords that are passed down from generation to generation in the Land of Mist. The swords have been imbued with lightning, granting enhanced cutting power in a manner similar to the high-frequency vibrations of lightning-based chakra flow. It is this capability that has resulted in these "thunderswords" being claimed as the sharpest swords in existence. Even without lightning, they are very dangerous in battle, able to be used in combination with agile spinning movements, sweeping through the targets while the user also rotates. This, combined with the jagged nature of the blades allows for more damaging wounds inflicted."

"And if the user is capable of lightning-based techniques, it will also allow them to use their Jutsu without making an handseals, like I can with the Sword of the Thunder God," Akira added. "Thanks, Tenten."

"No problem!"

"In any case, Raiga will not be an easy opponent to defeat. He and I have the same range of abilities, both water and lighting based. Plus we both have a mystical sword. I will know better than most what he will do in battle, and I expect you all to listen to me when it comes to him. I do not want anyone waltzing into something they cannot handle, and I do not want anyone to get injured. Understood?"

"Understood!"

Just then, the three men from the mine arrived, looking nervous. Akira reassured them quickly, and turned back to her team.

"Right then. We keep a close eye on our friends here as we return to Katabami. We will deal with the Kurosuki family once we arrive. For now, these three are our priority."

"There is a shop that is close to that village," Lee announced. "It can be our home base!"

"Why do you know about a shop out there?" Tenten asked.

"Sorry, that is a surprise for the journey!"

"We will check it out once we get there," Akira said. "Let's head out."

The three men lead Akira, Lee, Tenten, Neji and Naruto through the forest, taking them down the route they'd taken on their way to the leaf village. Around noon, Akira called for a lunch break. Both Naruto and Lee finished eating quickly and got in some training while the others ate, much to everyone's amusement. Then they all set off again until Lee sprinted off ahead, shouting about curry. Moments later, Akira and the rest of the team arrived to what could only be the shop he was speaking of earlier. It was small and rustic, and a definite smell of curry was wafting out of it. Akira stopped and ignored Lee as he twirled the old lady shop owner to look out at the view. The Katabami Mine was visible from here.

"Come on, Akira! We must eat the Curry of Life!" Lee shouted, dragging Akira in front of a plate of blackened curry.

Akira looked at it oddly and smelled it. It didn't smell odd, just excessively spicy, and she couldn't tell if it was poisoned because of said spice. It would be rather extraordinary if an old lady poisoned her curry, and Lee did have some before, so it was likely safe to eat. In mere moments, Lee had already devoured his plate, face turning a deep shade of red. And then everyone else had a bite, but stopped there, the spice was too much for anyone else.

"Oh, by the way, where is Karashi at the moment - is he out?" Lee asked.

Akira furrowed her eyebrows and looked over at the old lady who went silent for a few moments before speaking up.

"Oh, well, the boy... was very moved by your work ethic and began attacking life with quite a new vigor. So much in fact that he left the shop and set out for town," she said. Akira's interest was piqued. "I shouldn't have pushed him so much, always telling him to be strong. 'I'm going to be a man,' he said. 'Part of the Kurosuki family!'"

Lee slammed his plate onto the table.

"Oh, please, you mustn't worry yourself, son. I'm not blaming you."

"Too late, now," Tenten wheezed after gulping down an entire glass of water.

"I am responsible for this..."

"Oh, dear me..."

"Akira!" Lee shouted, rising his hand up in the air. "I request to include the rescue of Karashi into our mission! We will bring him back from this road of evil he has taken!"

"Very well, but I will not put you all in danger for his sake. If complications arise, I will be forced to abandon this new task, got it?"

"Thank you!"

"We will use this shop as a base of operations and start scouting the village," Akira stated. "Then we can come up with a strategy and make our move." She stood and turned to the three men from Katabami. "You three better stay behind. If we face the Kurosuki family, things will definitely get problematic."


	64. Raiga

Things had gotten problematic. No longer than a half hour after their encounter with the terrifying Curry of Life did it take for one of the three men being escorted back to the mine to disappear. It threw everyone into a panic, save Akira and Neji, who kept their cool under pressure. Akira ordered everyone to get their gear and suit up. In moments, Naruto, Neji, Tenten, Lee and Akira were out the door, attempting to track the runaway. Akira growled. She hated people who wanted to take the law in their own hands. The Konoha ninja been hired for a reason, there was no point in trying to change things himself. It would only make matters worse and put herself and her team in danger, as well as the other two escorted men.

The mountain path grew wide where the soil was soft and then narrow in the rocky passes. There were times it was barely there at all, no more than a mild disturbance in the dirt. But always it lead down towards the town, the only destination the five of them could keep in mind. They all watched night turn to day as they arrived at the mine, darkness fading into pale hues of yellow and blue. On Akira's signal, they hid behind a few large boulders and observed.

"You know, instead of just saving Rokusuke and Karashi, I say we finish the Kurosuki family once and for all!" Naruto stated.

"Let us not get carried away," Akira replied. "Our mission is to take out the family, yes, but Rokusuke is under my charge and his life is in danger - he is a priority."

"So, what's the plan, genius?"

"Don't forget what Guy-sensei told Akira," Lee added, serious.

"What? That the leader of the Kurosuki family might be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist?" Naruto scoffed. "If you ask me it just makes things more interesting."

"I dunno... We can't exactly be sure that what Guy-sensei said is reliable in the first place," Tenten added reasonably.

"We do not know the information to be true, but since it is likely, I must act as if Raiga was one of the Swordsman. I would rather assume the worst than be unpleasantly surprised. So, first, we need to investigate."

"Then let's go!" Naruto cheered.

Akira scowled at the back of Naruto's head. She appreciated the enthusiasm, but he didn't need to be cheering when people's lives were at stake. Akira gestured for everyone to follow her as she weaved her way through the mountainside and stopped when they had a proper visual on the entrances to the mines. There were dozens of people dressed in rags hauling out baskets and baskets of rubble. They were being watched by men in long, dark cloaks - it was impossible to see their faces. Akira cursed under her breath when an old man collapsed and the men began threatening to call Raiga for another funeral. Akira looked to the east and noticed an entire field of small mounds with hunks of metal sticking out of them, like grave markers. She could hear muffled screaming in that direction. Akira suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Were these people burie alive?

"Okay, that does it! Now I'm mad!" Naruto growled, watching the scene unfold.

"Stay calm, Naruto," Akira said quietly. "We need to finish our reconnaissance before we make a move. Jumping in too quickly can result in injury or death."

"Yeah, hold your horses, Akira's right!" Tenten whispered.

"Great idea! Let's just sit here and watch them drive that old man into the ground!"

"Right! You just leave this to me!" Lee stated, then disappeared seconds later.

"Lee!"

Akira cursed loudly much to everyone's surprise, but didn't move an inch to help Lee or reprimand him. There was no way she was going to be able to stop him, so she would just have to mark this into her report when they came back from the mission. Instead, she and the others watched as Lee took down the four cloaked men with ease. With one last look around, Akira jumped down to join Lee. Neji, Naruto and Tenten followed.

"Are you crazy!?" the old man said, panicked. "Dear heavens, what have you done?"

"Hey, what's wrong?" Naruto asked, getting angry. "We just helped you!"

"No! No, you need to do to me what you did to them or else they'll think I'm behind it!"

"We are here to stop Raiga and the others once and for all," Akira said, crouching to the man's level. "We will tie these ones up so they cannot come after you. You are not dying today, all right?"

Suddenly, a gong rang, echoing through the mountains and the mines.

"Is that some kind of alarm?" Neji asked the old man.

"No, it's summoning everyone to a funeral."

"A funeral?"

"That's right. If any one of us displeases Raiga, then the is punishment is a funeral where the guilty party is buried alive."

Akira's suspicions were confirmed.

"He what!? Buries them alive!" Tenten said, outraged. "That's the worst thing I've ever heard!"

"Then Raiga gets very sad. He bows and weeps over the coffin as if he's lost a dear friend."

"Sounds like we're dealing with a real nut job, here," Naruto sighed.

"That gong... Who's funeral are they ringing it for?" Neji asked.

Akira gasped.

"Rokusuke! All right, Tenten, Lee! Tie up these four men and make sure they won't be getting out."

"Right!"

"Once that's done, old man, I want you to stay hidden and away from any of these men. Tell everyone you see the same thing!"

"O-Okay! Thank you!" the man said, then ran off.

"Let's go."

It didn't take long at all for the five ninja to reach the burial site. When they arrived, at least a dozen cloaked men were standing around a coffin. Akira blinked to reveal her Sharingan, as to anticipate any sort of movement or attack coming their way. Neji used his Byakugan to look into the coffin and verify that Rokusuke was still alive. Luckily he was fine, but he wouldn't be for much longer if they remained there and did nothing.

"We need to draw the guards away then get him out," Neji stated.

"Okay, we should hit them fast and hard," Naruto added. Lee and Tenten nodded in agreement.

Akira's pupils dilated and she glanced upwards towards the main building of the mine. There was someone standing there. She gave the all clear for her team to attack and retrieve Rokusuke, while she hung back, hidden amongst the rocks, watching the man she assumed to be Raiga.

"Neji, lead the attack. There's someone I want to keep an eye on."

"Right. Let's go!"

Lee, Naruto, Tenten and Neji threw smoke bombs at the cloaked men. They scattered, taken by surprise, but they recovered quickly enough for them to see the four ninja arrive. Akira noticed one of the men run off so she pulled out a kunai and tossed it at him directly when Tenten made a similar move so as to not give away her position. She hit him directly in the back of the leg, preventing him from going any further. Her eyes wandered back to the silhouette at the top of the hill. Akira listened to the crashes, the punches and the grunts beside her and looked over when they all stopped. Lee was standing in front of the cloaked man Akira had hit with her kunai earlier. Judging by the look on his face, she couldn't assume that this was Karashi. Lee and Naruto began to try and reason with the boy. It seemed to be proving difficult. Akira glanced at Neji and Tenten, who just like her, were keeping an eye on the surroundings. Moments later, they were pulling Rokusuke out of the coffin he had been placed in.

A strange feeling crossed Akira. Her heart began beating faster and faster. It was a sense of foreboding danger. Something was coming, and Akira could only assume it was going to be Raiga, as the skies began to darken quickly. The three tomoe in each of Akira's red eyes swiveled as her pupils dilated, examining the scene unfolding before her. Akira quickly looked over to Neji, who looked back at her, seeing his team leader through the rock with his Byakugan. She signaled for him and the others to head up to the top of the cliff. Akira followed the four ninja without coming out of hiding, remaining a fair distance away to have the best vantage point of the situation. Her eyebrows furrowed however once they reached the top, as there was no one there like there once was. Slowly, fog began to creep up the team's ankles. Akira cursed under her breath - it was the same kind of mist Zabuza had used all that time ago. Raiga was definitely one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

Suddenly, a silhouette appeared in the thick mist, like a ghost, and a malicious laugh filled the heavy air.

"Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu."

Akira's eyes twitched and her pupils dilated, watching the silhouette so intensely it almost hurt. Anything her eyes could copy from this man would be an advantage now and in the future. She stared at the mist again and then at Neji, who she could barely see herself. He seemed confused, even angry. She could see that his Byakugan was activated but.. was it not working? The Hidden Mist Jutsu didn't inhibit dōjutsu like the Byakugan and the Sharingan, so why was he having issues? Akira looked back to the silhouette. None of the Seven Swordsman were known to have kekkei genkai or special abilities. Maybe this wasn't Raiga's, but someone else's doing?

Though apparently useless, Akira kept her Sharingan awakened, just in case the inhibitor disappeared. Her hand slowly inched to a pocket on her flak jacket which contained the Thunder God's sword and grasped it, ready to use it the second she was needed. If Raiga was going to use Lightning-based attacks, the sword could block and absorb their power.

"Behold!" the same voice shouted. The silhouette raised its arms into the sky. "Ninja Art: Lightning Fang!"

Immediately, the fog dissipated and the cloaked man was visible just up ahead. Akira's eyes widened. The legendary Kiba were held in the man's hands, blue lightning raging up towards the sky and passing through the blades. Akira's eyes squinted suspiciously. The man's coat seemed to bulge towards the back of his head. There was something there. All of a sudden, the sky turned charcoal grey and thunder and lightning began to rage.

"Lightning Fang... Strike them down!"

Akira barely had any time to react. Within a split second, a large flash of lightning struck the rock right in front of her team. The cliffside was destroyed and the four ninja were nowhere to be found. Akira growled, angry. There was no way her team would be taken down so easily, but the power Raiga had was indeed impressive.

Akira slowed her breathing and closed her eyes, listening to what was going on around her. And then she placed her hand to the ground and exhaled, reopening her eyes onto a completely black landscape. Behind and below, she recognised the Chakra signatures of her team as well as nearly a dozen other people who she assumed to be the Kurosuki henchmen. Up above however, where Raiga was standing, there was a second chakra signature. It was smaller and seemed to be more or less attached to Raiga. There was someone else there, someone small. Was it a child? Akira growled. This was Zabuza and Haku all over again, but she doubted that Raiga felt the same way Zabuza did about Haku. And insane man like that probably didn't actually care for anyone.

"Thunder Funeral: Feast of Lightning!"

Raiga pointed the Kiba down towards Akira's teammates, and she slid out the Sword of the Thunder God, lighting it up and dashing towards Raiga. Halfway through his attack, Akira jumped in front of the bright blue lightning and held out the sword. The attack and the chakra blade clashed in a flurry of sparks, until Raiga's attack dissipated and was absorbed into the Second Hokage's blade. Raiga's eyes widened.

"I wasn't expecting you to come out. You seemed a bit fearful."

"Just observing, Raiga," Akira said quite eloquently. "Enlighten me, Raiga Kurosuki. Who is it that has been whispering the movements of my team to you? Is it that child strapped to your back? Tell me, do you enjoy using children for your own benefit?"

Raiga growled, ready to strike again, but a hushed quiet voice floated to Akira's ears.

"Don't get mad, Raiga. You know it's not true. We're strong together."

"Ah, so there is someone there," Akira said with a smirk. "One can only assume that the dysfunctionality of our dōjutsu is your fault."

"Yes, that is correct."

"Be quiet, Ranmaru. Don't give the enemy any details!" Raiga shouted.

Akira smiled and closed her eyes. She inhaled... exhaled... and listened to what was going on around her. She could hear Raiga's breathing, her own heartbeat. Force of habit, Akira twirled the Sword of the Thunder God in her hand, and it made a buzzing sound as it moved, like dozens of lightning bugs. Akira let her body sag, getting herself into position and remembering quite painfully what Orochimaru had taught her about fighting with her eyes closed. She launched herself forwards, listening to the sound of her own footfalls, and pulled out her Katana with her left hand, swiping it at Raiga in one swift movement. She heard him dodge it by only a few centimeters. Akira lunged again, this time with the lightning sword, and Raiga blocked it with both Kiba. She heard the sizzling of the metal, holding up against the electric power of Akira's sword. Unexpectedly, Akira planted her Katana into the ground and used it to push herself up, swinging her body around and kicking the lump on Raiga's back. A small pained cry escaped into the air, and Akira almost felt back for hitting a child. But they were the enemy and Akira had no time for sympathy.


	65. Ranmaru and Haku

Raiga began to panic as Akira smirked, turning his concentration away from his fight with Akira to the boy named Ranmaru. He was getting sloppy, and it only got worse when Lee arrived to fight by her side. She recognised his movements by sound. It surprised her that he was up, however. Lee was still out cold, up and fighting solely using muscle memory. He fought off Raiga, eventually succeeding in kicking the cloak as well as a small travel bag off of him. The bag flew off, screaming, and Raiga lost it, yelling after Ranmaru. Raiga growled loudly and violently, fury shaking his body, and he raised his Kiba to Lee. He wasn't fast enough, but Akira was, and she swung out her Katana and the Sword of the Thunder God just in time to block Raiga's attack, shoving him away from Lee.

"I am not letting you injure my team, Raiga. Didn't Ranmaru tell you that I would not go down this easily?" Akria taunted.

She took the moment of weakness as an opening and swung her leg upwards, kicking Raiga in the jaw. He was sent backwards, flying in the opposite direction of Ranmaru. Then all of a sudden, Naruto came out of nowhere and kicked him further away, adding insult to injury.

"All right, pal. Now you're dealing with me, too. There's no way I'm letting Akira have all the fun!" he stated.

"You filthy little brat!" Raiga spat.

"Hey, I've got something I wanna ask you! Rumor has it you're one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Hidden Mist."

"So, what if I was?"

"You know Zabuza, right? And a big guy by the name of Kisame?"

"Look, I have nothing but loathing for those two," Raiga growled. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't feel like reminiscing. And I don't wanna tell you anyway!" he added, yelling, as he launched himself towards Akira and Naruto.

"Well, then I guess I'll just have to beat the answers out of you!"

"Naruto be careful!" Akira shouted, as the boy jumped onto Raiga's back.

The two struggled a bit before Raiga managed to kick Naruto off, and he crossed his Kiba and shot a ball of electricity towards the boy. It hit Naruto straight in the chest, and he crumbled to the ground. Raiga chuckled and turned to Akira, whose eyes had finally reopened, the red of the Sharingan still piercing through him. All of a sudden, Akira felt her pupils contract as Raiga performed the same Jutsu he had just done. The girl's body moved even before he was done charging the electricity. Whatever was disrupting her Sharingan had worn off, and everything Raiga would do from now on could be copied. She smirked.

"Sorry, buddy, it's gonna take more than that!" Naruto said, finally picking himself up off the ground.

"I'm not even gonna remember that smirk!" Raiga said maliciously, pointing his Kiba at Naruto again. "Now die!"

In a split second, Akira was in front of Raiga, Sword of the Thunder God already blocking his attack on Naruto. She kicked him back and spun the sword above her head for a few seconds before she abruptly stopped it in front of Raiga, sending a bolt of yellow lightning hurling straight at him. The attack hit him straight in the chest, sending him backwards a few feet.

"Not so swift without Ranmaru, are you?" Akira snapped, slowly getting impatient.

"Ranmaru! Ranmaru, where are you!?" Raiga shouted.

But Neji had muffled the sounds coming from the travel bag, somehow figuring out that Ranmaru was inside. Since Raiga's eyes were so far away, whatever Ranmaru was doing to inhibit the dōjutsu was out of range. It was useless. Naruto used the Shadow Clone Jutsu and every single one of them taunted him, calling out to him. They all attacked him, but Raiga destroyed them all, channeling lightning through the blades. It didn't really matter. Akira could see his movements get slower and slower by the minute, the Chakra inside him slowly fading into nothing. It seemed that he noticed it as well, as he took off, speeding away after a bolt of lightning he'd just shot into the ground. The remaining Naruto clones following in his wake, and so did Akira. She was nearly beside him, watching him as he performed a few handsigns. Akira gasped. She recognised that Jutsu from her training with Kakashi. Within a split second Akira had fallen back and grabbed the real Naruto, pulling him out of the way of the boulders that had begun to fall, a deadly avalanche. Neither of them wasted any time after dodging the attack. Naruto created another clone and with all the force she could muster, Akira launched them both upwards, reaching the top of the cliff before Raiga did. In one swift movement, Naruto hit him directly in the chest with his Rasengan and Raiga flew so far that he fell into a ravine a few hundred feet away.

Akira sighed, relief washing over her like a wave. But guilt soon washed over her when she and Naruto approached the travel, now open, revealing Ranmaru. He was a small boy, eyes just as red as her own currently were, and the way he spoke of Raiga reminded her of the Haku had spoken of Zabuza once. In his own words, he had no reason to live now that Raiga was gone. That Naruto or Akira or someone else should kill him right there. They had lived for each other, searching for the meaning of their lives together.

"Don't be ridiculous, don't talk like that," Naruto said sadly. He too was remembering Haku, it seemed.

"Go on, why do you hesitate?" Ranmaru asked softly. "My arms and legs are crippled, I'm powerless to resist you. You have a mission to carry out don't you? Well hurry up and finish it."

A pained look crossed Akira's face, betraying her cool exterior. Hearing these words reminded her of what Haku had once said. Naruto looked at Akira, both worried and sad. Of course he remembered what she'd done, and it was probably just as hard on her as it was on him to hear these words come out of Ranmaru's mouth. For once, however, he remained silent, keeping Tenten, Neji and Lee in the dark about what she'd done on her very first mission.

"The mission entrusted to us was to drive the Kurosuki family out of here," Akira said crisply. "With Raiga out of the way now, he no longer poses a threat to the village."

Everyone nodded and Akira walked off, staring out at the horizon at the edge of the cliff.

"The question at hand is what to do with the Kurosuki family now that they have no leadership," she continued. "Take the head off of a beast, it will be hard to predict what it will do. Once that is done, however, the mission will be completed."

"But uh... what're we supposed to do about him?" Naruto asked tentatively.

Akira turned to look at him, eyes clouded with guilt, then to Neji. She tilted her chin towards Ranmaru and Neji nodded, understanding her unspoken words. 'Do what you wish', is what it said. She wasn't in the position to make a rational decision in a situation like this, considering how personal Ranmaru's situation was to her and Naruto. So Neji took Ranmaru and he tied him up in a nearby hut, arms and legs bound so he couldn't move at all.

"Do you really think he is dangerous enough to tie up?" Lee asked.

"No, I don't believe so," Neji responded.

"But dangerous to himself though, maybe..." Tenten added sadly.

"Once our mission is over, we'll come back for you okay?" Naruto stated, giving the boy a pitied look.

Neji closed the door and placed a seal tag over the door, securing Ranmaru inside.

"A Chakra-sealing tag as well?" Lee questioned.

"Look, we don't have a choice Lee," Tenten reasoned. "He's still our enemy isn't he?"

"We have to assume he possesses other Jutsu," Neji stated. "Just to be safe."

"All right, everyone - let's go."

With one last glance at the cabin, Akira sighed and lead her team away, putting thoughts of Ranmaru and Haku aside. Her judgement couldn't be clouded. And moments later, if you looked at her face, you couldn't tell she'd nearly cried only moments ago...


	66. I Will Be Your Body

The trek to the village didn't take much time. It was silent and straightforward. Akira gave instructions as they went on, telling her team to be careful and as safe as possible while carrying out their duties. Other than that, she said nothing. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, her mind was set on destroying the Kurosuki family and releasing the village from their clutches. She kept pushing the thoughts of Ranmaru and Haku aside, as well as the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that they hadn't seen the last of Raiga Kurosuki. Zabuza hadn't gone down that easily, so there was no way they could be done with Raiga already.

It seemed that the villagers were waiting for them when they'd arrived nearby. They'd all gathered together, standing with Karashi. Akira frowned while Naruto cheered, stating that the rest of the Kurosuki family had run off, tails between their legs. However, just as they were about to reach them, a loud rumbling sound echoed through the valley, and large boulders began to roll down the side of the cliff and directly at the five Konoha ninja. None of them were fast enough to avoid them, being run over, going limp like ragdolls. The impact of the boulders knocked the air out of Akira, and being stuck underneath them made it hard to breathe. She tried to wriggle her way out of it, but the only parts that could move were her arms, and only just at that. She growled, annoyed, letting out a frustrated cry loud enough for anyone to hear her despite being underneath the rock. Determined, she stuck her hands together, popping her shoulder in the process, and made a few handsigns.

"Mi, Histsuji, Inu, Ne, Mi, Tora."

The girl took a deep breath and prayed that this would work. Last time she'd tried an Earth-based Jutsu, it never worked. She let out a yelp of pain as her hand reached to the ground below her. This time however, Akira felt the heavy Chakra pool in her abdomen.

"Earth Style: Stone Fist Jutsu!"

One of the rocks nearest to her suddenly adhered to her arm, creating a giant fist of stone around her own arm. It also cleared up enough space for Akira to swing her arm a little, demolishing the others boulders that were around herself and her team. Immediately, they took formation, as did the Kurosuki family. The Konoha ninja had them surrounded.

"You know, I have never been able to do that before," Akira said to herself, impressed. She looked up at the enemy. "I think that means I have just gotten stronger. Let us put it to the test, shall we?"

"You're not gonna get the chance!" one of the henchmen called. "Ninja Art: Black Tornado!"

One after the other, the members of the Kurosuki family piled themselves one on top of the other, creating two pillars of people. Claws of razor sharp metal protruded from their fingerless gloves and then they began to spin, creating two giant tornadoes that would cut them to shreds in seconds.

"Tenten!"

"On it, Akira!"

Tenten pulled out a giant scroll and spun it around with ease, performed a few handsigns and then pulled out a spiked chain from it. She twirled it above her head a few times before throwing it at both tornadoes before they reached Akira's team. The spinning claws got stuck in the chains and the spikes embedded themselves in the mens' arms, preventing them from moving.

"Lee, Neji!"

"All right!"

Then Lee and Neji jumped in, kicking and beating down the opponents with surprising ease. Their agility surpassed the enemies' and they were nearly taken down, slowed and injured.

"Naruto!"

"Oh, yeah!"

Naruto finished them off by spawning dozens upon dozens of clones, beating every single enemy to a pulp. They had all fallen into a heap, passed out, and the few stragglers that had fallen a ways away were dragged over into the pile as well. Akira performed a single handsign, Tori, and shouted yet another Earth-style Jutsu. Spears of rock rose from the ground with incredible speed, forming a pyramid around the pile of unconscious bodies. They were trapped. Akira heard something shift to her left, and her arm reached out, sending a coil of water to wrap itself around Karashi's ankle.

"You," she said, voice dangerously low. "Give me one reason why I should not encase you in bedrock like the others."

"Yeah, Karashi! What were you thinking back there!?" Naruto shouted. "I mean, haven't you learned your lesson by now?"

"Well, Karashi - what do you have to say for yourself?" Rokusuke demanded.

"Uh - Uh, it was just a joke!" Karashi said meekly.

"You think we will believe this was just a joke?" Akira asked calmly, raising an eyebrow at the boy. "You have tormented this entire village."

"But I didn't have any other choice! If I didn't do as they told me, I would have been killed by the Kurosuki!"

"Well, instead of the Kurosuki, I'll do the same with a blow from my hammer!" a villager said.

"That's right!" another added.

A few men began shoving Karashi, and so Akira removed the coil of water from his ankle. However, Lee jumped between the boy and the men, getting down to his knees.

"You should strike me instead, until you are satisfied!" he said.

"Why would we punish you?"

"At one time, Karashi was a kind-hearted, innocent young man, and I am partly responsible for him joining a gang of thugs."

"Hm? You're to blame?" the old man they'd save earlier said, confused.

"It is because of my words that he came to think that power was everything," Lee explained. "It is true, Karashi was naive. But even so, he has a rare ability to make life saving curry. Please let Karashi atone for his sins, let him make curry. And also, if Karashi ever goes astray again there will be consequences! I swear. I will punish him with my two fists."

"Hey, what does everyone think of letting Lee and Grandma Sansho deal with this?" Rokusuke suggested.

"Well... I suppose he was just and underling of the Kurosuki family," the old man said. "It's not like he attacked our village himself. Maybe it would be better to have Rock Lee take Karashi under his wing and see..."

Lee grabbed Karashi's head and pushed him down into a low bow.

"Thank you very much!" Lee said.

"Y-Yeah, thank you," Karashi said meekly, embarrassed.

"And with that, our mission is pretty much complete!" Naruto said, satisfied.

"No, not just yet," Akira said, a serious look on her face. "There's still Ranmaru."

The seal hadn't been tampered with. It was still intact and the doors were still shut tight. Akira sighed before ripping it off and pulling the doors open to reveal Ranmaru, still tied up in every manner possible. Neji stood beside him.

"You all right?" he asked.

"What does it matter if I'm feeling all right, or not?" Ranmaru said, a smile on his face. "I can't go on living all alone like I am."

"Hey, come on, you can't say that!" Naruto chastised.

"Why don't we just leave this weakling here?" Tenten said, getting irritated. "Everyone ought to be able to live by themselves."

"But don't you need some good friends in life that you can count on in a pinch?"

"I'm talking about the basics here! I can't stand weak indecisive people!"

"Then do you hate the sick? The dying? The poor who cannot do better even if they tried? Young children who depend on their parents?" Akira inquired, staring straight at Tenten, accusingly. The girl could simply gape at Akira. "Then you hate more than half the world's population, Tenten. Do you think that is a wise way to live?"

"I was frail from the moment I was born," Ranmaru said softly. Akira turned to look at him, face still impassive. "And for most of my life, a shabby cabin was my entire world. I have no memory of my parents. I survived only because the villagers took pity on me and brought me small amounts of food from time to time. But even as fragile as I was, I had a special power no one else did. As time went on, everyone feared me, because without leaving my room, I could see what was happening outside. From then on, I had no more visitors bringing me food. All I could do was wait to die. If it weren't for Raiga, I wouldn't be alive."

"His past is so tragic, I had no idea," Lee whispered to Neji.

"Yes, I agree," Neji whispered back.

"Raiga took me beyond those walls, showing me a world I'd never experienced before. If Raiga isn't here to care for me, it's the same as losing my own body."

"So, you two helped each other to survive, didn't you?" Tenten said, giving both Ranmaru and Akira an apologetic look.

"Yeah."

Akira crouched down to Ranmaru's level and gazed straight into his eyes.

"Raiga was using you as a tool. You were not living for each other," she said simply.

"Akira!" Lee gasped.

"Yes, he might have been using me," Ranmaru chuckled, staring back at Akira with a soft smile. "It's possible. But whether good or bad, either way it doesn't matter to me, 'cause I'm just a tool to sense things out anyway."

"If that is what you believe, then you are not really alive, are you, Ranmaru?"

The boy's eyes widened in shock.

"If you are to survive on your own, you must give it your all," Akira said, her gaze softening a bit. She glanced at Lee. "And you can start by eating the Curry of Life."

There was a collective sound of confusion, save from Lee. He encouraged it instead, once again repeating that the curry had saved his life. Ranmaru was surprised when Akira reached over and untied him, swinging him onto her back. As he sat atop her gourd, Ranmaru gazed at Akira with fascination. While she didn't have the signature enthusiasm of Naruto Uzumaki, Akira's tender smile was just as infectious.

"Until the day you can walk on your own, I will be your body. What do you say?"

"All right, but I have one favour to ask."

"What is it?"

"Can I see Raiga one last time?"

Akira nodded and the group calmly headed towards the edge of the cliff. Down below, in a pile of rubble, Akira could see two arms and the Kiba sticking out, the blades gleaming in the sunlight. Neji went to the edge and, using his Byakugan, checked to see if there was any sign of life in Raiga. Looking at Akira, he shook his head.

"Let us take our leave."

Akira eyed Raiga's arms suspiciously before turning around and leaving towards the Curry of Life Shop. The nagging feeling was still there at the back of her mind, like a bad cold that just wouldn't go away. However, she pushed it to the back of her mind; if it became a problem she'd deal with it then.

The sun had risen completely by the time Akira's team had arrived at the Curry of Life shop. The two men that had remained behind greeted them warmly upon seeing them, and ran inside to get Grandma Sancho, who remained inside, trying to hide her joy for everyone's return, including Karashi. It was like a warm family reunion, and Akira couldn't help but smile a little despite her worries. The old woman sat Karashi down and chucked him a plate of curry three hundred times spicier than she usually made it, calling it the 'punishment curry'. Karashi wolfed it down, crying from the spiciness, but thanked his mother all the same. Then she prepared a mild batch for everyone else, including Ranmaru, but hadn't even touched his by the time everyone else was done.

"She made it mild," Akira said, looking over to the young boy. "You should be able to eat it."

The boy shook his head and kept it down. Akira frowned. Something was up. She glanced outside to where everyone was, and remembered something.

"Hey, did you ever come by anyone by the name of Zabuza or Kisame?"

"I know only Kisame," Ranmaru replied softly. "But I don't know where he is or anything. Raiga didn't like the Seven Swordsman, at all."

"Shame. Would have made Naruto's day."


	67. Your Last Funeral

Akira felt herself sink into a state of unease, for she knew what was coming next. The impending was inevitable and she could sense it nearing. Thunder rumbled in the distance and a bolt of lightning cracked the blue sky into two. Jagged flashes of pure light cast a glow against the monochromatic background. For the past few hours, Akira was helping Grandma Sansho around the Curry of Life shop, a feeling of dread aching at her. She hoped this rain and this thunder didn't come back, but now, here it was, with rain cascading in diagonal sheets. There was a certain rhythm to the downpour that she caught amidst the wind unleashing a torrent of its own. It was anger. The rain exhibited no sign to cease, the inception of the storm had only just arrived.

It was Raiga.

Tenten had disappeared after Akira had asked her to check on Karashi and Ranmaru, but Karashi returned with a less than plausible excuse. Tenten and RAnmaru remained missing. Nevertheless, Tenten was most likely in real danger anyway, and it was necessary for Akira, Lee, Neji and Naruto to go check it out. Ranmaru was now in Akira's care, but he was also a liability if he even suspected Raiga to be alive. So the remaining Leaf Shinobi all ran in the downpour, clothing getting fully soaked in the rain.

"Would lightning and some cliff be really enough to beat Tenten?" Neji said, sceptical.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Neji is correct," Akira stated. "Karashi was not being truthful. Either Lee has not convinced him hard enough, or someone threatened him. I would tend to chose the latter."

"But we already took out the Kurosuki family!"

"Maybe my eyes were clouded," Neji admited, opening up the possibility of Raiga still being alive.

"No way! It's him..."

The team ran through trees and bushes, all the while the ran beat down on them relentlessly. Then they came out to a clearing, and were immediately met with Raiga's face and glinting Kiba. Akira saw them electrify, and her eyes narrowed.

"Do not use anything that conducts lightning!" she shouted over the raging rain. "He was using pure Chakra before, but now he is using lightning in its purest form!"

"If he can draw upon the power of nature itself, truly harness it" Neji began, "there'll be no stopping him!"

"It is a good thing I can do the same!" Akira shouted. "Sharingan!"

The girl's irises turned bright red, and three tomoe swerved inside them. Her pupils dilated and contracted with every flash of lightning and every move that anyone made. Akira pulled out the Sword of the Thunder God once again, staring at Raiga as she bellowed out a war cry. Akira copied his movements, flowing her own Chakra into the blade she was holding, and rose it to the sky at the same time Raiga raised his Kiba. Simultaneously, they shot a vast amount of lightning at each other. Both attacks missed, and everyone behind Akira dodged it as well.

"Neji - Byakugan! We need an advantage!"

"If we can dodge his attacks and take the battle right to him - that's our advantage!" Neji shouted, dodging a tendril of lightning.

"Right - Naruto!"

"Way ahead of you, Akira!" Naruto called back, smirking. He ran forward, dodging another strike of lightning. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

He kept moving forward, creating more and more clones as they got destroyed by lightning, avoiding getting hit himself. Akira kept copying Raiga's movements, slicing the air with their blades to shoot concentrated lightning at each other, but both of them dodging at the same time. All of a sudden, Naruto ran straight past Akira and made it to Raiga, causing him to pause his lightning attacks. This permitted Neji sneak up behind him, palm outstretched and ready to use his gentle fist technique. However, Raiga saw it coming, and the moment before Neji's hand hit him square in the back, a giant bolt of lightning crashed down on him, then Naruto. Her Sharingan had missed it. Both of them let out a cry of agonizing pain, and Akira shouted, a desperate and pointless cry.

"You brats... Are you really that dumb? This isn't ordinary Chakra I'm blasting you with, it's actual lightning."

Naruto fell to his knees, Neji fell back and tumbled a few feet. Raiga laughed.

"Stop it!" Lee said, coming up beside Akira. "How dare you disrespect an opponent who fought you with all he had?"

"Oh, I remember you. On second thought, I won't hold a funeral - I'll just kill you!"

Lee proceeded to remove the incredibly heavy weights attached to his ankles, dropping them to the ground, causing something akin to an explosion. He looked to Akira for approval, and she nodded, allowing Lee to jump forward and punch Raiga in the face.

"I hate this kid!" Raiga shouted, outraged.

He shot another bolt of lightning at Lee but he dodged it at the same time Raiga dodged a bolt Akira had sent. Lee swerved and shot himself back at Raiga, kicking him directly in the stomach. Upon landing, Raiga pointed his Kiba to the sky, and all of a sudden, his body became engulfed in lightning. He slammed his Kiba downwards to hit Lee, but the boy was quick and evaded with ease. However, the current continued to travel through the ground, so when Lee landed, it electrocuted him anyway. He too let out a pain yell, but at least Lee was still standing, though wobbly.

"Why... do you go so far?"

"I'll get so strong that Guy-sensei will look at me with a smile... that is my Ninja Way!"

"I see... So you live for this Guy person... and you? Do you live for this Guy, as well?" Raiga asked Akira, who scoffed.

"My name is Akira Uchiha, and I live to uphold my family name and destroy anyone who gets in my way."

"Well then, I guess we'll only be giving this Guy-sensei a funeral, because I'm killing both of you right here." Raiga raised his Kiba into the air again, charging them and himself with lightning, then began to spin, creating some kind of tornado. Akira's eyes examined him intensely. "Ninja Art: Thunder Drago Tornado!"

Akira and Lee's feet began to dig into the ground as they tried to hold them in place, hoping to resist the amazing winds that were coming from this tornado. And soon, said tornado swirled higher and higher, until it formed a dragon with bright red eyes. Both Lee and Akira were caught in the winds and the tornado, despite Akira jumping out of the way at a respectable time. It sucked her back in and tossed her around like a ragdoll, then dropped her like a heavy stone on the cold wet ground. Lee tumbled further away, rolling off the cliff and out of sight. Akira could do nothing but watch, as her pained body was slow to react. She heard Raiga laugh dangerously, and struggled to get back up and face him. It was her turn to laugh however, as she saw, behind Raiga, Karashi and Tenten feeding Naruto and Neji the blackened Curry of Life. However Neji simply passed out again, the spice too heavy for his senses. And then Ranmaru appeared, quietly walking out from behind Akira. She was a bit surprised considering the boy was walking, but she smiled, remembering the properties of the Curry of Life. He caught Raiga's attention immediately, who attempted to run to him, but Akira swiftly pulled out a Katana, and held it to his throat.

"We are the ones who helped him... You will wait, or you will die," she whispered.

"Raiga..." Ranmaru said tentatively.

"You're alive, Ranmaru! We'll again be together forever, Ranmaru! Let's kill them all and have fun doing lots of bad things!"

Ranmaru looked at Akira. Somehow she knew something was up, and was about to let Ranmaru go with Raiga, but Lee returned. He was swaying on the spot, cheeks tinged with pink. Akira's eyes widened. Somehow, alcohol had gotten into Lee's system, and there was enough of it for him to be using his Drunken Fist. He launched himself at Raiga, tripping over a rock as he went, and hit Raiga with a flurry of hits that he was barely able to block. His foot was at the edge of the cliff. He raised his Kiba into the air and drew lightning from the sky then shot it at Lee, but the boy dodged it with extreme ease. Raiga shot bolt of lightning after bolt of lightning but Lee found a way to dodge them all and ran back at him, sending a kick directly to his jaw. He went flying, almost taking Ranmaru with him, but Akira grabbed the boy at the last second before he fell off the cliff. She retreated to where Tenten and Naruto were hiding. Akira stared as Raiga used another Jutsu to summon lightning as his armour and dash straight for Lee, but the boy passed right through his defenses and jabbed him directly in the stomach. Both of them went flying back after impact, which gave Akira time to dash over to Lee, hoping to be some aid. Tenten and Naruto looked after Ranmaru. Raiga was already getting up by the time Akira reached Lee, but he wasn't moving at all, not even a twitch. The girl growled and pulled out both her Katana, twirling them and getting into a relaxed Tai Chi position.

Her heart was beating faster than usual, her mind was reeling faster than usual. Raiga wasn't going down, and there weren't many things that would keep him down. Akira's mind immediately went to extremes: death would keep him down, but she wouldn't do that unless it was necessary, and definitely not in front of Ranmaru. She painfully recalled a few Jutsu that Orochimaru had taught her for such an occasion, though she hoped she'd be able to refrain from using them. However, Ranmaru suddenly appeared in front of her, as if protecting her from Raiga, which drew all murderous thoughts away. Naruto was there too.

"What's this..."

"I want to feed you the Curry of Life, too..." Ranmaru said softly. "You'll realise that you're not alone if you eat the curry. Everyone's feelings are blended in..."

"What're you saying?" Raiga said, irritated.

"Let's stop hurting people."

"Cut it out, Ranmaru! You're my eyes and ears! We'll no longer be two people in one if you keep saying these things!"

"Shoot your lightning. If I die, the strong Raiga will also die. We're two in one, so..."

"I... won't be able to remember you from when we were one..." Raiga said, but raised his Kiba nevertheless, and charged them with lightning. "I must give you a funeral!"

"No, you will not!" Akira said, stepping in front of Ranmaru. "You would kill the friend who risked his own life to save yours!?"

"Ranmaru betrayed me!" Raiga said, outraged. "He broke the promise of it being just the two of us forever!"

"He is no longer alone! Joy with strangers is better than sadness with those you love!"

"Quit running your mouth, you runt! Don't underestimate me. I'm Raiga Kurosuki, once one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist... I won't take orders from the likes of you!"

"If you're one of the Seven Swordsmen, then what's with Kisame!? Where is he!?" Naruto bellowed.

"Kisame? I hate him. I hate them all. The only friend here I have is Ranmaru. But... Ranmaru, you've made other friends... We're not two in one anymore."

"Raiga..."

"IMPUDENT!" Raiga shouted, drawing an immense amount of lightning towards himself. Akira readied her Jutsu. "Who do you think taught you about the outside world!?"

"Naruto," Akira whispered. The boy turned to her. "If it comes to it, when I move forward, don't let Ranmaru see..."

Naruto's eyes widened, but his expression turned serious quickly, accepting what Akira was about to do and what she was asking of him. Akira's eyes turned to Raiga again, lightning still building on his person. And then he began to launch his attack. Akira's gaze hardened and she bolted forward, eyes fixed on Raiga. Naruto took Ranmaru away, much to his protest, as well as Lee, but eventually he was out of the line of fire and couldn't see what was going to happen next. Akira dodged all the lightning based attacks swiftly, flipping over some and rolling underneath others. The pale blue lightning flashed in Akira's dark eyes. Raiga stared into them, and saw all the cold fury that they contained. He watched her hands as they performed a few short handsigns and her swords began to emanate a pale white glow.

"Chakra Blades: Symbiotic Slashes."

Akira crossed her arms over her chest, crossing the tips of her blades behind her head, and in one swift movement, slashed her arms outwards. The sharp edges of her Katana touched Raiga's neck and sliced in, effectively removing his head from his shoulders. Raiga's head landed with a soft thump on the ground, and seconds later his body followed. Akira closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then retracted and put away her blades without wiping them. Calmly, she walked over to the deceased Raiga and sighed, disgusted, as she looked at him. Then, as if kicking a pebble, Akira pushed Raiga's head and body down the cliff. As they fell, she performed another few handsigns and a bolt of lightning hit the man's remains, vapourising him.

"There... Your last funeral."


	68. Kai the Old Lady

Akira ruffled Ranmaru's hair before she lead her team out of the Curry of Life Shop. He was being left in Grandma Sansho's capable hands, and she train him to be a successor for the shop, as well as start Karashi's training from scratch so that he learned properly once and for all.

Ranmaru had no clue that it was Akira's fault Raiga was gone, and she'd keep it that way until the day they died. On the other hand, Tenten and Naruto knew that Akira had sliced off Raiga's head. Lee and Neji were still unconscious at the time, and they weren't told afterwards. Naruto wasn't as surprised as Tenten to see it happen, as he already knew that Akira had killed a man before, but Tenten didn't speak for a while after the events unfolded, and even now she was having trouble looking at Akira in the eyes. Akira didn't want anyone to see her do that, especially not Ranmaru - that last part was accomplished. At least now Tenten knew what Akira would do to protect others; that was Akira's reasoning. If anything however, it just made Akira look more dangerous than she already was.

Neji, Lee, Tenten, Naruto and Akira all made it back to the village safe and sound, and the Hokage congratulated them on a successful mission. Akira bid her team goodbye and went straight home to have some non-spicy food and a good hot bath. Running around and fighting in rain and mud wasn't very good for Akira's immune system, and she wanted to warm up and eat healthy before she caught any sort of cold.

The perfectly lined bonsai trees greeted Akira as she walked underneath the torii to her home. The Koi pond was alive with hungry fish, and the girl passed by to give them food. The lily pads swayed on the undulating water, and the rest of the garden was a riot of the colours of May. The sight of it made Akira smile. She groaned in satisfaction as she untied her hair and removed her headband, dropping them beside the tub. She slid the bathroom door shut and looked at herself in the mirror for a few moments, though she didn't linger for too long. Soon the bath was filled with steaming hot water, and Akira undressed slowly before hopping in. The warm water soothed her sore muscles, and the constant deep breaths she was taking calmed her down until serenity. Though it was short-lived as the image of herself cutting off Raiga's head turned everything red. She gasped, opening her eyes and sitting up straight in the bath.

"I shouldn't have done that..." she whispered to herself.

But it was too late now, and she couldn't undo it. The bath was cut short, and Akira dried herself off before throwing on a kimono and tying the red obe around her waist. For the next half hour or so, Akira busied herself in the kitchen making tonkatsu, genmai, miso soup and sunomono, and placed everything at her spot at the table and dug in. Today no one came to bother her during meal time, so Akira enjoyed the view of the sunset and the sounds of her garden alone. The dishes were done quickly, and the kitchen was soon back in order. A small pot of tea was made for her to enjoy as she stared at the koi, and once the darkness had overtaken the day, Akira retreated inside for some well deserved rest, though it was occasionally plagued by the fear-stricken face of Raiga Kurosuki.

* * *

Shikamaru stood beside Akira and other Chūnin like Iruka and watched as about two dozen children formed various lines before them. Outdoor training had been assigned to all the kids in the Academy, and the Genin were assigned to supervise them. Sakura was nowhere to be found, however. Akira frowned, a little concerned, though she suspected Sakura was training with Tsunade instead. Naruto turned towards Shikamaru and Akira, outraged, since he had the team with Konohamoru, Moegi and Udon, and Akira and Shikamaru were standing alongside the other Chūnin. Akira merely smiled mischievously.

"Why the heck are you two on that side!?" he shouted.

"Man, I don't want to do such a troublesome mission either," Shikamaru shrugged, earning him a chuckled from Akira.

"Shikamaru and Akira will assistants to us instructors," Iruka said, pulling out a document. "I will now begin the the explanation of the outdoor training to be conducted over one night and two days." Iruka stepped in front of a large map and pointed to the places he spoke of. "This is the spot you will all be setting out for: Great Stone Face of Warudakumi on the summit of Mount Takurami. The team leader will not take routes other than the one indicated on the map in order to assure the safety of the Academy students. Along the way, there will be obstacles such as instructors disguised as enemy ninja, as well as traps and the like. But you Academy students should be able to safely evade them if you act accordingly to the instructions of your team leaders."

Akira saw Lee smile and wink at his students, which made them doubt him all of a sudden, looking weary. Akira withheld a laugh.

"You'll see the Stone Face of Warudakumi after you cover about eighty kilometers. The team that brings the secret document hidden there back to the village will have completed the training upon crossing the finish line. There is only one secret document, so this will be a competition with other teams."

"All right! We'll finish first no matter what!" Naruto whispered to his students.

"How much you wanna bet they come in last?" Shikamaru asked, smirking.

"I'll bet twenty that Kiba comes in top three," Akira whispered back, amused.

"You can put my twenty on Choji."

"Deal."

Shikamaru and herself were stationed as the first obstacle for now, alongside Iruka and another Chūnin. They were clad in ample navy outfits and armed with simple batons or staffs. Everyone had passed with flying colours fo far, except for Ino's group that retreated and eventually came back for a second round that they ended up passing. The only team that had yet to wander into their ambush was Naruto, Moegi, Konohamoru and Udon. And by the time the sun had begun to set, they still hadn't arrived yet. Shikamaru and Akira were tossing a rock at each other to pass the time, which ended up hitting Akira in the head when she turned it to observe the approaching final team.

"Time to check out their team in action," Iruka smiled.

Naruto sensed them nearby and told his team to take formation. They placed themselves in a basic diamond formation, which disappointed Akira to say the least, and she and the others jumped down into the shadow of the bushes to observe them.

"Now then..." Iruka called from his hiding spot. "Show me what you've learned until now!"

Iruka gave the signal, and the three other Chūnin dove out of their hiding spots. Naruto called for 'Formation One', which consisted in everyone getting behind Naruto as he performed his signature Sexy Jutsu, which earned him a giant smack on the head from Iruka. But then the three Academy student performed a very similar Jutsu, each of them turning into a sexy version of themselves. This one earned Naruto a giant smack on the head from Akira, as Iruka and the other Chūnin has incapacitating nosebleeds. Only Shikamaru and herself remained mentally intact.

"Jeez... this guy's such a pain as usual," Shikamaru scoffed.

"You have got that right," Akira sighed. "Come on. Let us collect Iruka and Izumo and set up camp. I can sense rain coming our way."

As predicted, rain came their way and began to soak the tents and those who weren't inside one. Akira and Shikamaru had set up radio communications in their tent as well as their mattress and sleeping bags. At the moment, they worked beside each other in comfortable silence, setting the radio to the proper frequency to receive transmissions. However, the second that the communications were up, there was an incoming distress signal. A really big storm was heading their way. Shikamaru and Akira headed to Iruka, who immediately decided that the training would be cancelled and that they were to go find all the teams and bring them back to the Academy safely. Akira nodded stiffly, and the two friends went off to search. Akira used her sensory technique to locate Kiba and Hinata and went to them at high speeds. She instructed the both of them to evacuate immediately and to return to the Academy. Upon returning to the Chūnin's base camp, Iruka informed everyone that the only team left to find was, of course, Naruto's.

"Iruka-sensei!" Shikamaru called, coming back from warning others. He was holding a backpack. "I found this on an unplanned route."

"An unplanned route, you say!?" Iruka said, suddenly scared.

"Sounds like Naruto, all right. He probably thought of some shortcut because he was so behind," Akira sighed, looking around angrily at the falling rain.

"Akira, come with us," Iruka said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Shikamaru, show us where you found the bag."

Shikamaru, Akira and Iruka darted off towards the East, running through the trees that brought no cover from the rain whatsoever. They'd barely been outside for a half hour, and Akira was already feeling her underwear soak with water, as well. Shikamaru stopped at the base of a mountain, and everyone stopped to take a look around.

"Taking in the direction of the wind," Akira began, "they must be somewhere just above us."

"Right. Let's go, then."

Iruka began climbing right away, sending Chakra to his feet to stick to the rocky surface, but with all this rain, Shikamaru and Akira knew better. The boy took out two pairs of spiked boot straps and tossed one at Akira. They put them to their boots and pulled out a pair of kunai each and began climbing the wall the old fashioned way, quickly passing Iruka, but even by the time they had gotten there, Naruto and the three students were gone, leaving behind a pile of wrapping paper for cakes and ramen cups. Akira sighed.

"Fire pit is still warm. They were here not too long ago,' Iruka said when he finally arrived.

"He really does cause trouble," Shikamaru groaned.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to rumble. Akira, Iruka and Shikamaru all looked at each other wide-eyed and panicked. They all went to the edge of the cave and looked up, occasionally wiping the rain away from their eyes. Atop the mountain was a large boulder threatening to fall, and from here, Akira could see Moegi, Konohamoru and Udon climbing up the side of the mountain on their own. She couldn't see Naruto anywhere. Moments later, the three students disappeared as well, and a few rocks came flying downwards. Akira thought quickly and channeled lightning-Chakra through her blades, disintegrating the rocks falling towards them with ease. Naruto was visible now.

"Naruto!" she called, and soon, four head poked over the cliff. "You guys okay?"

"Iruka-sensei? Shikamaru? Akira?" Naruto said, surprised.

"Naruto! Above you!"

The stone that was atop the mountain suddenly got loose and began falling directly towards Naruto. He ordered the kids to run down to Akira and Shikamaru, which they did, and the rock fell directly onto dozens of Naruto's clones before being obliterated by his Rasengan. Akira sighed in relief.

"Man, making us worry like that!?" Iruka said, indignant. "You're in big trouble!"

And boy was he. The morning right after, Naruto and his team were called to the Hokage's office for an earful, especially since the kids ganged up on him as well. Nauto actually ran out of the office with the Hokage hot on his tail, and he almost bumped into Akira, Shikamaru, Kiba and Kai on his way, but Kai swerved out of his path just in time. Everyone sighed as they stared at them run.

"One of these days, people are gonna learn that you can't trust him from the get-go," Kai said.

"You are one to talk, you used to prank with him all the time!" Akira barked.

"He's gotten old," Kiba laughed. "Kai's like a little old lady who beats people with his cane, now: 'Young wipper-snappers!'"

"Hey, I'll show you who's an old lady, Kiba Inuzuka!"


	69. Sazanami

Fists brutally met with wood, cutting and scraping knuckles on each impact. Heave breaths heaved and dropped from lungs, chest rising and falling with each inhale and exhale. A foot collided with the wood, then another and then another, in rapid succession. The ankle was split and bleeding now. It'd take a day or two for it to heal completely. Forearms rose to midnight blue eyes as they blocked an imaginary punch, and a limber body swayed to the left to dodge an imaginary kick. Legs jumped up high, black hair flying all around like a halo of smoke, and the nimble ninja flipped sending a final blow to the top of the wooden training dummy. The ninja wiped the sweat off of her brow with her shirt, exposing her stomach for a moment, and headed over to the shade to fetch her bottle of water.

Akira had been up since dawn to practice her Taijutsu. She found it lacking compared to her other skills, and being a Chūnin meant that all her skills needed to be honed, not just the ones she was naturally good at. It was almost noon now, and Akira's body was just now feeling the burn of her training. She shrugged off her kimono and tossed it aside before wrapping her hands in bandages - this would keep her going longer and avoid any more injuries. Moments later she was back to kicking and punching the wooden training dummy to a tune she was humming, denting it more than it already was. She was interrupted when a ninja appeared on her property and handed her a scroll. Akira sighed and grabbed her water bottle and kimono before heading inside. The girl changed clothes and slid on her flak jacket, finding no point in taking a shower if she was going on a mission where she'd get sweaty and dirty again. Besides, she hadn't the time.

Akira was in the Hokage's office in mere minutes, rushing over to the Academy when she was ready. The Hokage greeted her with a smile, and soon Naruto, Kiba and Hinata had joined her. Kiba and Akira had some sort of odd greeting ritual that involved three different kinds of fist bumps, and they tried to teach it to Hinata while Shizune was preparing the documents. Apparently the mission was a simple one, to retrieve a thief. Naruto was obviously dissatisfied by the simplicity of the mission.

"I'm not fired up!" he shouted. "It's a mission to catch a petty thief! It'd be the same no matter who went on the mission!"

"Look. Under normal circumstances, a simple four man team of Kiba, Hinata, Shino and squad leader Akira would be sufficient, but Shino is unavailable since he's on another mission. Which means it'd be better if you were there than not, right?"

"What!? Old lady, that's taking it too far!"

"I'll do my best!" Hinata said with a smile.

"Yeah, Kira and I can give it a whirl," Kiba said, nudging his squad leader.

"That is Squad Leader, to you, Inuzuka."

Kiba puffed his cheeks and stuck his tongue out at Akira, making her giggle quite girlishly. The sound of it almost made her own ears bleed, but Kiba seemed to find it amusing.

"Anyway, your mission is to capture the man who stole the Misogi Tea Jar owned by the Feudal Lord of the Land of Tea," Tsunade said, holding up the image of their perpetrator. "This man, Gosunkugi. According to sources, he's now hiding in the Land of Stone. Get over there quick, catch him quick."

"Hearing that makes me even less fired up," Naruto groaned.

Akira smacked him upside the head with a smile and asked all her teammates to get geared up for the worst possible scenario. It seemed that Naruto and herself had a knack for attracting trouble, so Akira expected the worst to happen during this mission. At least she had a very capable Kiba and Hinata by her side.

The quartet stopped for lunch about halfway there, in a meadow that was almost as beautiful as Akira's garden. Hinata had made everyone a box lunch with onigri the shape of Naruto's face, which made Kiba and Akira chuckle a bit, but they tasted great so they didn't mention anything funny. Once again, Naruto complained about the banality of the mission, but Kiba was there to kick him in the butt and tell him that missions like this once in a while were good to take it easy all the while working. Made things fun.

It didn't take long for them to reach the Land of Stone, and it didn't take long for the scenery to change from heavenly to derelict either. The bright green meadow seemed so long ago now that they were knee deep in the dusty and rocky ravines of the Land of Stone. There were piles of rocks everywhere, almost like grave markers, but because of the symbols on them, Akira knew that they were shrines of some kind, but it didn't change the fact that the entrance to this Land made you want to turn back around and never return. The first outpost to the Land of Stone wasn't anything much either, as buildings seemed like they'd fall apart just by blowing on them.

"Doesn't it look kinda... rough?" Kiba commented, looking weary of the place.

To make matters worse, a murder of crows flew directly at the four ninja. Akira frowned, confused.

"Eight for... a kiss?"

"What're you talking about?" Naruto said, an exasperated look on his face.

"Oh, it is an old nursery rhyme my mother used to read to me. 'One for sorrow, two for mirth, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret left untold, eight for a kiss, nine for a wish, and ten for a bird you must not miss.' It is the number of crows that people used for foreshadowing events long ago."

"Well, I think that's a load of crap!"

"Probably, considering there will most likely be no kiss."

Akira, Kiba, Hinata and Naruto climbed down the side of the cliff they were on and began their trek to the outpost. On the torii leading to the village sat another three crows. Three for a girl... Akira wondered if a woman was going to cause an issue in their mission. Kiba brought down his hood, which lead to Akira staring at him perplexed for a while, as she'd rarely seen the entirety of his head, but they pushed on regardless, into the seemingly deserted town. There was a strong breeze that pushed around debris on the ground, creating miniature tornadoes in corners of buildings where the air got trapped and spun. Soon, Akira spotted people sitting down on the porches of the buildings, every single one of them staring at them as if the Leaf Ninja were some sort of plague.

"What're these guys doing? Staring like that..." Naruto mumbled.

"I would not look at them directly," Akira warned, looking straight ahead. "They might get provoked if you look at them the wrong way."

"This doesn't seem like were gonna be able to do this quick and easy," Kiba said. Akamaru whimpered in agreement.

Akira cursed under her breath as she spotted something. Hinata, Kiba and Naruto turned to look at the same thing, and noticed it was a wanted poster with a reward posted underneath it. Akira cursed again. If bounty hunters were going to be involved in this, this mission was definitely not going to go on without a hitch. The Feudal Lord of the Land of Tea should have informed the Leaf Village that he had set a bounty on the man as well. Tsunade and Shizune could have gotten more skilled ninja for the task.

"Why're there posters of the guy all over the place?" Naruto wondered. "Three million ryo? Hm, let me go ask!"

"Wait, Naruto!"

Naruto waltzed into a place called the Asia Saloon. It was bare and unkempt, the smell of stale drink in the air. Akira's hands twitched towards her Katana, seeing all the men in the bar look them up and down.

"Hello!" Naruto announced.

"Can I help you?" the bartender asked.

Akira leaned against the bartop to keep an eye on its patrons. All eyes were on them.

"I have something I'd like to ask you."

"If you're not a customer, beat it."

"Then I'll order something! I'll have ramen!"

"This is funny. Ramen?" a patron laughed. Other joined in the laughter.

"Are you making a fool of me? Get out, brats!" the barman shouted.

"If it's the money, we have some," Naruto announced, pulling out his coin pouch.

Akira almost went red in the face with anger. Was he really that dumb that he'd swing his money around a place like this!? The girl's sensed perked up when someone moved to her left. An arm stretched across her, aiming to brag Naruto's arm, but Akira pulled out a kunai in a fraction of a second and planted it in the man's arm. She kept her hand on it and looked at the man, smiling innocently.

"I would like to apologize for his behaviour," Akira said nicely. "He is not familiar with the basic rules of an establishment such as this one. However, it is not an excuse to take advantage of him, right?"

Akira reached into her pocket and pulled out a few ryo, sliding them on the counter.

"Tell him what he wants to know. And get a glass of water for the dog."

She removed the kunai from the man's arm and wiped it on her flak jacket, slowly putting it back into its case. The barman smirked, talking the ryo, and poured some water into a bowl for Akamaru. He barked gratefully.

"Who the hell gets water for a dog!?" the man shouted, pulling out a short sword. Akira rolled her eyes. "You wanna die!?"

It took barely two seconds and he was on the ground, but not by Akira's hand. A tall stranger had intervened, knocking him to the ground with barely more than a swing of his Katana. Akira rose an eyebrow, impressed. This man was trained in the Art of the Sword. Then the stranger pulled out a paper with the face of the man Akira had just stabbed. Akira clicked her tongue. The helpful one was a bounty hunter.

"Bounty, Michizo Manaka." He turned to Akira. "You can take the credit for this one, young Master. Take the money from this bounty for the water and information you seek."

The man left the saloon, and Akira's eyes followed him as he went. She turned her head to Naruto, her eyes still fixed on the stranger.

"Ask your questions. Do not get beaten up."

Akira followed the man out of the Saloon, following him for a few steps before calling out to him, arms crossed and a stern look on her face.

"Hey." The man turned. "Who are you?"

"Sazanami. A Bounty Hunter," he said with a small smile.

"I figured as much. I was more curious about the way you handle that sword. That was Iaidō, was it not?"

"Little lady knows what she's talking about, eh? Who're you to know such things?"

"Akira. That is really all you need to know."

The man smirked, a sign of respect. Naruto, Kiba and Hinata then came running after her. Sazanami tilted his hat as a goodbye and turned to leave, but Naruto had questions of his own to ask the stranger. The introduction was redone, and Naruto began his questioning.

"Say, say... that was really cool what you did back there! It was so fast I couldn't see when you drew your sword! Even Akira isn't that good!"

Akira rolled her eyes and sighed.

"It was really surprising," Hinata added.

"Life and death is on the line for us Bounty Hunters. No matter how many lives we could have, it wouldn't be enough if we couldn't draw our swords faster than others."

"Say, say! What's a Bounty Hunter?" Naruto asked.

"Really, Naruto? You have to ask?" Akira sighed.

"Let's see... There are people who offer a bounty in order to capture bad guys. And a bounty hunter catches those bad guys to receive the bounty."

"Then, this guy has a bounty on him too?" Naruto asked, showing Sazanami the picture of Gosunkugi.

"Boy, that's..."

"Why's there so much money on his head?" Kiba asked. "Three million ryo seems a lot for a petty thief."

"A simple thief, you say..." Sazanami said, frowning. "Boy, this man is an A-rank bounty who has killed dozens of people for the sake of stealing."

Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I knew something was going to go wrong..."


	70. Peaceful

Akira had her hands placed firmly on her hips, and the shadow that cast from the setting sun was just as impressive as the real thing. Her midnight blue eyes remained fixed on her teammates as well as the stranger they'd just met. Akira didn't follow Naruto, Hinata and Kiba, who were heading out of town with Sazanami. She remained stern with her feet grounded to the spot where she stood. There was no way, no matter how friendly he seemed, that she was going anywhere with a Bounty Hunter. Their mission was to retrieve Gosunkugi and bring him to the Land of Tea to face justice, collect their wages and head home. While Sazanami hadn't expressed interest towards Gosunkugi's bounty, considering how high it was, Akira was sure he was going after it, and all the niceties were only happened to get information out of them.

"Naruto, Kiba, Hinata." Akira called in a stern voice. The three turned around. "We're going back on course."

"What!? Come on, Akira - he promised ramen!" Naruto whined.

"That is an order."

Kiba frowned as he stared at his best friend, and he slowly walked to her side. Hinata followed. Akira whispered words of distrust towards Sazanami, and their gazes hardened. The Uchiha expectantly looked at Naruto, who's head was switching from Sazanami's back to Akira's dark expression. Eventually the boy took a step towards Akira, and followed through until they were side by side.

"Let's go."

As they turned to leave, Akira heard Sazanami sigh. Hinata looked fearfully at Akira as the Uchiha activated her Sharingan and placed her hand on the hilts of her Katana. Kiba and Naruto looked at her nervously too. Akamaru seemed to be the only one who was as certain as Akira, growling softly at what was behind them.

"Sorry, but you guys are going to die here," Sazanami said. "To think that twerps like you would know that Gosunkugi is in this town."

"So what if we know?" Naruto growled, looking back at the Bounty Hunter.

"Gosunkugi is my prey. I can't hand him over to you."

"Knock it off," Kiba said. "You should just go get him yourself."

"No. Even if you guys are kids, it's a different story when it comes to Leaf Ninjas. It's better to have fewer competitors."

The old man pulled out his sword and pointed it at the back of Akira's head. The girl took a deep breath and relaxed her body, slowly pulling out both of her Katana, which, again, she twirled in hand. She closed her eyes and she listened to the man's movements. First, he took Hinata hostage, which angered the boys, but he simply knocked her out with a hit to the head. Kiba hurled himself at him next, using his Beast Mimicry Jutsu to gain power and speed, but Sazanami was still faster and stronger, knocking out both Kiba and Akamaru with a total of three hits. Naruto used his Shadow Clone Jutsu and distracted him a lot before actually trying to get to him. If he had been quieter, it would have worked, but Naruto was swiftly defeated as well. Just then, Akira felt something cold placed against her neck.

"You will not do it. You may be a horrible person, but you are not a murderer. If you were, you wouldn't even have wasted your time and spoken to us."

"I must be the one to capture him."

Then just like that the man was gone. Akira opened her eyes and dissipated her Sharingan. She put away her Katana and ran over to Kiba first. Akamaru was already awake and licking his face. She pulled him up onto her legs as she knelt down, and lightly tapped his face until he woke up. Black eyes met with her blue ones a few moments later, blinking to focus on their surroundings. He stared up at her for a moment.

"Are you all right?" Akira asked, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Yeah, I'm good. You?" Kiba asked calmly.

"I am fine, do not worry."

"The others?"

"Waking up now."

"Could you two get a room, or something?" Naruto groaned, spying Kiba and Akira.

The girl scoffed and turned her head away, unsuccessfully hiding the blush rising to her cheeks. She roughly pushing Kiba off her in standing, which made him yelp in surprise. Hinata giggled. Kiba sent her a mock glare, amused.

"Where'd Sazanami go?" Naruto asked, looking at his teammates with an odd expression.

"I do not know," Akira said after clearing her throat. "As I was analyzing his movements, I realized that he meant us no harm, therefore I didn't engage him. He let me go unscathed, but with a warning. I suspect he is off to search for Gosunkugi."

"Well, I'm not just gonna stand here like this!" Kiba announed. "He'll beat us to the draw!"

Akira nodded and lead her team back to the outpost town. It was dark by then, and crickets were heard but not seen, and the cool air rustled Akira's long onyx hair. She awakened her Sharingan again and examined the deserted buildings for movement, then the horizon. Kiba and Akamaru listened and sniffed for any indications to their whereabouts, and Hinata used her Byakugan to look through buildings and large boulders to see if anyone was hiding behind them as they moved through the outpost town. Naruto walked lazily behind them.

"Dammit, where is that old man!?" he complained.

Just then, Akamaru barked, looking directly to the conglomeration of mountains just outside the town. He barked again and dashed off, leading the four ninja out of the outpost and into the wilderness of the Land of Stones. They rushed back into the ravine they'd taken on the way in, and immediately spotted Gosunkugi alongside four bodyguards. Sazanami was following them, weaving through smaller boulders to remain hidden. Akira gave concise instructions to her team and they all split up, each responsible for an aspect of the ambush. Sazanami came out of his hiding spot when Gosunkugi and his guards rounded a corner, but the guards were waiting for him, and Gosunkugi sneaked up behind him. When he told his four guards to finish him after he'd nearly impaled Sazanami with nails, Naruto initiated the first phase of the attack.

"Gosunkugi! You're under arrest!" he called, creating over two dozen clones.

They were veiled in shadow, and Akira could tell by Gosunkugi's expression that he couldn't tell it was all the same person.

"Retreat!" Gosunkugi shouted, running off with his guards.

Naruto was about to go off and run after Gosunkugi, but Akira came out of her hiding spot, contrary to what she'd planned, and caught Sazanami as her began to fall, weak from his injuries. She called for Kiba and Hinata, who promptly showed up.

"We will get Gosunkugi after. At the moment, we need to treat this man or he will bleed out."

"Stay away from, kids... He's too much for you," Sazanami whispered, voice strained.

"Shut up," Akira said bluntly. "He is too much for you as well. Once you are up and running again, the five of us will go get him. It is a safer and more efficient plan than either of our initial ones."

Hinata located a small hut in the mountains and let the team to it, as Akira carried Sazanami on her back. Kiba unrolled a thin mattress from his backpack and Akira laid Sazanami on it. It seemed he'd passed out by the time they'd reached the hut. Akira helped Hinata with patching up his wounds, but the Hyuga did most of the work as she was better at medical than her - Akira only knew the basics that were mostly used on battlefields, not precision work like this.

"How could such a strong guy get beaten?" Naruto asked, crestfallen.

"Gosunkugi isn't a mere thief," Kiba stated. "He's a shinobi, same as us."

"Shinobi?"

"I noticed it was a Jutsu as well, what he used to-"

Akira cut herself off as Hinata signaled for silence. She blew out the candle and pulled out her Katana just as a large man with a mace broke down one of the walls to the hut. Naruto jumped on him, smashing his foot onto his head, Kiba lunged at him, punching the man in the gut and Akira swung her blades at him so fast that she chopped off the tip of his wooden mace with one of the blades, the other pointing at the man's neck. He growled loudly and tore himself away, bolting into a run and disappearing off into the distance. Akira frowned.

"Did he mistake us for someone else?" Naruto asked.

"He was in the bar earlier - I think he's another bounty hunter," Hinata said.

"Look at this," Kiba said, picking up a piece of paper. He handed it to Akira. "It's a wanted flyer."

"'This man who calls himself Tokichi is a major criminal who has killed a family of three. He has a bird-shaped birthmark on his chest..."

Akira looked up at Hinata.

"It couldn't be..."

"What? What is it, guys?" Naruto asked, looking between both girls.

"I can't tell because his face is covered with scars, but he... he has a bird-shaped birthmark. Akira and I saw it when we were tending to his wounds."

"He has a bounty on his head, too!?" Kiba growled.

"What the heck is going on!?" Naruto shouted, confused.

"Look," Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It is late, and we are going to need sleep if we are going to spend all day tomorrow looking for Gosunkugi. I will take the first watch. Get some rest."

Naruto sat down against the wall opposite to the one that had been blown open and fell asleep almost instantly. Hinata stared at him and blushed, then lied down not too far from him, beside Akamaru, who rolled up and fell asleep quickly as well. Akira sat at the edge of the blown up wall, legs extended, and stared up at the sky and the stars. You didn't get to see these in Konoha because of all the light - I guess that was the silver lining of this mission.

"I finally get it."

Akira turned her head. Kiba was sitting down next to her, a smirk on his face. The girl frowned.

"You finally get what?" Akira softly as to not wake the others.

"All that stuff Kai says about you and Shoujo mangas," Kiba said nonchalantly.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Kiba chuckled and stared at Akira. His intense gaze and her eyebrows furrow and look away - she knew too well what he was talking about. She looked back up at the stars. They illuminated the darkness and all worries seemed to wash away. Even the worries and uncertainties that came with this mission. The words, the lies, the failures - they now lingered at a distance. White scars flickered on her wrists and arms. She was reminded of what Kai said, about the unassumed beauty of her person. Akira scoffed and shook her head.

"It is ridiculous. Kai just says those things to get under my skin."

"Eh, maybe," Kiba said, looking up at the stars as well. "Doesn't mean there isn't any truth behind it."

"Fine," Akira sighed, pink staining her cheeks. "I am not going to argue about this. Get some rest."

"Yes, ma'am."

Kiba lowered himself and put his head on Akira's lap, curling himself as to face the outdoors.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting some rest."

"On my lap?"

"Hell yeah, it's probably the comfiest place in this entire Land. Stupid rocks..." he added in a mumble.

"Kiba Inuzuka, your giant fluffy coat is just as comfy. Roll it up and use it as a pillow."

"Eh, I'll be cold and get sick."

It took everything for Akira to not scream.

"Okay, fine, sure, whatever. But do not get use to it!"

"I wouldn't dare."

Akira huffed and threw her head back, exasperated. She was dealing with children. That's right. Kiba was a child, Naruto was a child. Only Hinata seemed to make sense in this dump. She'd have to speak to Lady Tsunade about pushing ahead her missions with actual Chūnin. Leading teams like these made her more angry than anything else. Akira pinched the bridge of her nose - these kids were giving her a headache.

The sound of soft snores made its way to Akira's ears, and she looked down. Her eyes blinked stupidly. She noticed that Kiba's features were much softer in sleep. The only move he made was the slight rise and fall of his chest, which was barely visible through his thick coat. It was hard to imagine that this was the same boy that tore around from sun up to sun down, speaking brashly at anyone he came to contact with. He looked so peaceful. Akira brushed a lock of brown hair away from his eyes and he smiled softly in his sleep.

Akira smiled too.


	71. The Bladesmith

Akira lied.

She didn't wake anyone else up to cover the next watch. She simply stayed up all night, staring at the stars. Or at least she intended to, because a few hours after Kiba had fallen asleep on her lap, Akira had swayed and fallen backwards into a peaceful sleep, hair splaying out like a dark halo. It was the sounds of birds the next morning that made Akira realise what had happened. She was glad to see everyone was still asleep, even Kiba who had somehow rolled off her lap and curled up beside her like a puppy. The girl scoffed, smiling and shaking her head at her best friend, and stood up, walking out into the sparsely green mountains around them.

Akira came back to the hut with her arms full. Branches of wild celery, hardy kiwi and haksap berries were threatening to fall out, and her bandanna had been opened out to its full size and filled with bamboo and udo shoots *****. There were a few dusty metal bowls in the corner of the hut that Akira took and cleaned out with some water from her gourd. She tossed the dirty water a few feet away. She plucked the berries from their branches and set them aside in one bowl, then pulled out the water from the young branches to dry them out to make a fire. She put some water in the biggest bowl and put it over the fire, and while she was waiting for it to boil, Akira pulled out a kunai and began peeling and cutting the bamboo shoots, wild celery and udo shoots.

By the time the water was boiling, Hinata had woken up and joined Akira. She dropped the celery and udo shoots in the water and the girls waited for them to cook, chatting lightly about what the day would be like and what they'd do with Sazanami, or Tokichi as they should be calling him, all the while nibbling on some berries. They weren't very ripe, but they were still a tiny bit sweet, much to the girls' delight. Eventually the vegetables were boiled and transferred into the last bowl Akira had found, then Hinata dropped in the bamboo shoots. When they were cooked, Akira tossed the contaminated water off the cliff and returned the bamboo shoots to the bowl while Hinata woke up the boys.

They had a quiet meal, other than the fact Naruto complained about wanting ramen instead of foraged vegetables, but no one else complained since they actually tasted good considering there was no seasoning to them. The only thing containing much flavour was the celery, which tasted a bit like juniper. They chatted amicably for a while until the sun had definitely rose, which woke up the sleeping Sazanami, who immediately tried to sneak away.

"Where do you think you're going old man?" Naruto asked, coming up behind him. He tried to draw his sword, but Akira's was already at his neck. "Just rest quietly."

"Stay out of my way! Gosunkugi is mine!"

"What the heck can you do in your condition, you wanted man!?"

Akira pulled out the wanted flyer with her other hand and showed to Sazanami. He gasped and his eyes widened. The girl lowered her Katana.

"A Bounty Hunter who was in the bar yesterday attacked last night," Akira stated. "Care to explain why a bounty is hunting a bounty?"

"It's none of your concern!"

The man tried to move, but he hissed in pain. Blood bloomed on his clean bandages.

"Your wound..." Hinata remarked.

She went to fix it, but Sazanami smacked her hands away, earning himself a glare from Akira, Naruto and Kiba. Hinata wasn't deterred and went back to tend to his wound. He sighed and gave in.

"I didn't do it..."

"Then how do you explain this flyer?" Naruto asked, suspicious.

"That Gosunkugi did it. He killed an innocent family of three... just to steal money."

Akira sighed. Pure greed disgusted her.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He means what he said, Naruto," Akira said contemptuously. "The world is not all sunshine and ramen cups like you think it is." She turned to Sazanami. "You were framed?"

"Yes. I was a bladesmith in a small country sandwiched between two larger countries," he said. "I was poor, but for me it was a happy life. But on that festival day... I was about to go deliver a sword that a customer had ordered. I wanted to participate in the festival as early as I could, so I was hurrying. At that very moment, there was a yell coming from the home I was going to. I ran over." Sazanami sighed. "For some reason, the door was wide open. I called out, but no one answered. So I took out the sword I had made and went in. Gosunkugi was there, but he got away. I went inside and...

"People saw me with all the blood. I told the village what had happened, but they wouldn't believe me. It was because I was the only one to not show up at the festival. And the particular shape of the sword that had been used to to kill the family... well, their reasoning was that as a bladesmith I could make any kind of weapon. So I ran, going from town to town. Eventually I began seeing wanted flyers of my face, but one day I saw his too. I resolved to catch him with my own two hands, clear my name and return to my village. And to get any kind of information on him, I became a Bounty Hunter despite the price on my own head."

"So that's why we're in the way," Kiba noted.

"The only way for me to prove my innocence is to capture him myself. I want to go home..." Sazanami paused then looked up at the team leader, Akira. "Will you... concede him to me?"

Akira cursed under her breath, and the words that came out of her mouth wounded her to the core of her being.

"We are ninja. We carry out missions we have received, no matter what. Even if the worst were to happen, we cannot let him get away."

Akira stood and bowed respectfully to the man, before silently exiting the hut. Kiba, Hinata and Naruto followed just as quietly, but voice their opinions the second that they were out. Of course, Akira was met with Naruto's outrage.

"How was that okay!?" he shouted. "Are you really that heartless!? I didn't think Sasuke leaving screwed you up that much!"

"Watch your tone, Naruto," Akira hissed, her words venom. Suddenly, the blond was reminded of Orochimaru, which made him angrier. "It has nothing to do with me. We have our orders, and we cannot afford to let anyone get in our way."

"Are you stupid? He could have helped us!"

"If Sazanami pushes himself too far in his condition, not only would he fail in capturing Gosunkugi, but he might also get himself killed!" Akira shouted, silencing Naruto in an instant. The picture of Orochimaru suddenly vanished. "It is not that I do not wish to help him, it that I cannot in good conscious let him! Now, stop accusing me of heartlessness and move along! Gosunkugi could be three towns over by now!"

Naruto nodded and went on ahead with Hinata, Kiba and Akira held up the back. The Uchiha pinched the bridge of her nose, irritated. How could Naruto have thought bringing up Sasuke was a good idea? Didn't her know that it would just make Akira angrier? The girl sighed. He had a point though. She had been colder, more strict with herself and others since Sasuke's departure. She told herself it was necessary. But maybe that was just so she could feel better about herself...

Eventually the four Leaf Shinobi made it to the next town over, another outpost. This time however, it was lively, decorated with lanterns of all colours. There were temples by the dozen however, and from what Akira could observe, it seemed that everything from economics, politics and the military was run by monks. The most important temple, the OK Temple, sat before the four ninja at the center of the outpost. There was a huge wooden structure that seemed to be pulling a large golden bell, which Hinata informed the group was the sightseeing crown jewel, a way to recruit people to live in their temple.

"Seems like a nice object to steal, does it not?" Akira whispered to her teammates.

"Yeah, that thing is screaming, 'Please steal me!'" Kiba added.

"Gosunkugi is probably after that bell, then!" Naruto exclaimed.

"And with the four extra men he had, it wouldn't be all that hard considering he's a Shinobi," Hinata reasoned.

The four ninja nodded at each other and pressed on, keeping their eyes peeled for any kind of movement. Akira didn't want to use the Sharingan in a crowded place like this, mostly because she didn't want to draw attention to herself, but also because all the different kinds of movement in the town would disorient and confuse her. She'd have to use her good old regular eyesight for this one. All of a sudden, Akira heard Akamaru begin to sniff more loudly, which caused Kiba to do the same. Their noses lead them towards what looked like a home, but it was in ruins with walls crumbling and the roof caved in. They were about halfway to the house when Gosunkugi's four goons jumped out at them, each one facing one Leaf Ninja, then two metal claws slid out from apparatus' on their hands. It seemed they intended to corral them, just like they'd done with Sazanami. Akira and Hinata awakened their Sharingan and Byakugan respectively, and as nails flew at them from beneath them, the last person they'd expected to see showed up and deflected them all.

"Sazanami!?"

* * *

 ***** _All these are wild edible plants found in Japan. There are many others, but I chose the ones that were more plausible to grow in mountainous areas. Hardy kiwi and Haksap berries are edible in all forms, though best appreciated raw. Udo is better served blanched, and the young sprouts are more aromatic - dried they are used for traditional medicine. Bamboo shoots are naturally toxic, but blanching them removes the toxins. Just make sure that you cook them properly, because the compound inside is used to make Hydrogen Cyanide. Wild celery (Angelica archangelica) can be eaten raw or cooked, but it can be mixed up with a lot of other plants that are toxic, so do not consume it unless you've identified it with complete certainty. Careful, my dudes, and happy munching!_


	72. Channeling Shikamaru

"Like hell we're gonna leave him to you!" Naruto called.

He ran over to one of Gosunkugi's goons and punched him straight in the face. Kiba tackled another, sending him flying. Hinata used her gentle fist to knock the third goon away. And Akira swung her Katana at the last man, cutting him up a little and butting him in the head with the base of her Katana. The men dispersed a bit, long enough for Sazanami to join the four ninja, then they were corralled again.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" Akira shouted.

"I just came to settle the score," he answered.

"But your wound," Hinata said, worried. "It's still..."

"I won't get in your way. I'll pursue the target on my own - this is a competition!"

"God dammit..." Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I suppose I cannot stop you from doing that."

"But we can't even start as things stand, now!" Kiba growled, looking around.

"There are still nails in the ground," Hinata informed the group, using her Byakugan to see into the earth. "He's waiting for the best moment."

"And the bell is as the top, now," Akira stated, staring up at the top of the mountain where the golden bell was heading earlier. "God dammit!"

Realising what had happened, Akira sighed and threw a shuriken at the head of each one of Gosunkugi's goons. They all disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sazanami's entrance had distracted her from their escape.

"The nails in the ground aren't moving," Hinata said. "The Jutsu has worn off!"

"Guess we've really been 'nailed down', huh?" Kiba quipped dryly.

"Really, Kiba?" Naruto said, deadpan.

Akira shook her head at her teammates and looked back up to the bell.

"They're by the bell!" she called, pointing to a few figures handling the item up at the temple.

"Why that-"

"Do not forget, Naruto! The other Bounty Hunter will be after Gosunkugi as well."

"No problem, we'll get there first no matter what!

Akira wasn't surprised that when they reached the OK Temple that they found half a dozen workers dead and the bell long gone. The Uchiha clenched her teeth at the sight of the dead men. Before she could even utter a word, the four Gosunkugi goons had reappeared, surrounding Sazanami and the four ninja once again. They had to this quick if they wanted to catch up to Gosunkugi. Akira communicated to her team with a simple glance and they all nodded, somehow comprehending. With a near war cry, Akira dashed at one of the men with incredible speed, pulling her Kataka out at the last second.

"Dance of the Viper," she whispered.

The last two steps that hit the ground took on the appearance of a ballet dance as Akira almost skipped towards the enemy. Her last step propelled her into the air and she spun on herself, and as she descended Akira swiped at the goon once per spin, landing gracefully on her feet. The man crumbled to the ground in a heap, blood blooming on certain parts of his body. Akira put her Katana away with a sigh, the image of a previous victim of this Jutsu coming to the forefront of her mind. She shook the image away and turned to her team. They had dealt with the rest of the goons.

Akamaru suddenly barked towards the west, and Sazanami and the four ninja followed him promptly. They climbed over a wall and stood atop it, eyes widening once they saw the golden bell being transported to a boat on a nearby river. Gosunkugi stood on the bell, and he was smiling, staring at the boat waiting for him below. Akira gestured for her team to follow her as she jumped onto the rope holding up Gosunkugi and the belt. She slid down it at rapid speeds, until Gosunkugi noticed they were behind him. Akira watched as a cloud of nails spewed from his mouth and headed straight for her.

"Inu, Saru, Tatsu - Water Style: Water Barrier Jutsu!"

From the river below Akira came rushing a considerable amount of water which formed a protective barrier in front of her, absorbing the impact of the nails. Then she pushed forward, crashing through the water barrier and slamming her fist into Gosunkugi's face. He fell backwards, but as he fell, he shot three kunai and one of them hit the rope, slicing it and sending everyone into the water. The Gosunkugi and the bell fell into his boat, and Sazanami managed to hook himself onto the bell and hitch a ride. He climbed up onto the boat and confronted Gosunkugi, slashing down his sword on the baton his enemy drew to defend himself. Gosunkugi fell back and Sazanami planted his sword beside his head, victorious.

Just then, Akira pulled out a handful of shuriken and charged them with lightning, before throwing them at seemingly nothing. Hinata, her Byakugan active, looks in the same direction and both females nod at each other before rapidly swimming out of the water and climbing the ledge. The four ninja were met with the other Bounty Hunter that was searching for 'Tokichi' and Gosunkugi, as well as a dozen men who seemed to be sent by a village alongside him.

"State your purpose," Akira said rigidly, her face stern.

"State my purpose!? You little runt!" the Bounty Hunter shouted.

Akira calmly raised a hand to silence him.

"We are Shinobi from Konohagakure, and our mission is to retrieve Gosunkugi and turn him over to the Land of Tea. He stole something valuable of theirs and we intend to return it."

"What about my damn money and hard work!?"

"This is what I suggest," Akira said, trying to channel her inner Shikamaru. He was always better at diplomacy. "We let Sazanami - or Tokichi as you said - take Gosunkugi to his village and prove his innocence. Yes, you worked for nothing on that one - there should be no bounty on him." The man cursed loudly. "After that is done, you can cash in your reward for Gosunkugi. Then we'll take him off your hands and turn him in to the Land of Tea. Deal?"

"Deal."

The path Akira had taken to return home from the Land of Tea went through a large meadow. It was a glorious expanse of tall grasses, flexible to the wind and the girl's touch, and wild flowers that were medley of colour: purple thistles, red camellia and yellow buttercups. There was no coordination like in her garden, just a free-for-all choreographed by the wind and the occasional appearance of Akamaru as he jumped through the flowers while Kiba chased after him. Akira would chastise him for trampling flowers like he was, but seeing her team happy after such an annoying mission made her forget that flowers were being squished.

Akira let her eyes fall on Kiba for a split second, and she and Hinata burst out laughing when he tripped over a rock and disappeared into the tall grass. He sprung back up half a second later, an awkward closed-eyed smile on his face. The Uchiha smiled back, shaking her head at Kiba. What a child, she thought. Naruto was up front, snacking on some provisions that the Land of Tea had provided for their journey back. He too was happy, cheeks blushing from the joy he felt. Akira thought it was kind of sad that food made him this happy and not the wonderful scene they were in, but at least he was happy. She smiled fondly at them all: Hinata giggling beside her, Naruto munching up ahead, Kiba running around the-

"What're you smiling at?" Kiba asked, suddenly inches from Akira's face.

The girl screeched and jumped back, face turning pink. Kiba laughed at her, earning him a punch to the face which sent him flying into a nearby camellia bush. Hinata couldn't hold in her laughter, and even Naruto turned around, face full of food, and staring at the scene before him, he burst out laughing too, spewing food all over the place.

"Idiot! Do not scare me like that!"


	73. Musings

Akira's eyes had been open for a half hour now, staring up at the simple white of her ceiling. Her breaths were slow and even, and broke the silence that encompassed her room. Birds began to chirp moments later, attracting Akira's gaze towards the open window. The curtains were drawn, and a single strain of light reached her, crossing over her chest. Akira sat up, pulling herself up with a groan, and stared straight ahead of her. A fond smile crossed her face when her eyes landed on the picture of herself, her brother, Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura. But she sighed and swung her legs off the bed, turning her gaze away soon after. She couldn't look at her brother too long. Akira tried to hide it, tell others that she was concentrating on herself and her training rather than Sasuke and the mission to find him, but waking up every morning and seeing his face, being reminded of what he'd done - what she'd done... It was making it hard.

Akira pulled the curtains, letting the soft morning light stream into the room and warm her face. She took a deep breath, the scent of her garden wafting through the open window. She waltzed over to her wardrobe, pulling out some clothes, and took off her pyjamas before slipping on what she'd chosen to wear for the day; even though she had no missions today, Akira wore something she could move in, though she did wear an apron-skirt that went down to her calves. However, as she walked out of her room to prepare breakfast, she imagined herself having issues wearing a skirt at some time during the day The girl shrugged, ignoring the feeling, and busied herself in the kitchen, heating a pot of sencha and making herself a simple miso broth with natto. She enjoyed her meal in the company of her garden and the pleasant silence that came with it, then cleaned up after herself. With a short teal kimono and Katana with her, Akira exited her home and headed for town.

Her first stop was near the center of the village. Akira could never shop in the cool and perfect indifference of a supermarket without insulting the memory of her mother. But even then, Akira just liked drinking in the colours, the aromas and the atmosphere like an elixir, like the rich and unfamiliar scents of powdered spices that lay in rust red and dusty yellow piles, or spilled bright green from sacks as large as feed bags. She thrived on interacting with the stall holders, each one almost a caricature of bubbly friendliness. They knew her by name and often had kept something back from the stall that they knew she would buy or simply take, and she always did. Akira weaved through the crowds, edging through the dense flow of people. The air was perfumed with produce, the ground was gritty stone and the air perfect. There was no irritating music, just a busker with a guitar. This to him was life, real life, not the sanitized pre-packed convenience world of individual yogurts and personal cheeses. The sweet odour of baked goods mingled with the nose tingling aroma of spices and the soft smell of flowers coming from the Ino's family shop. All of these smells mixed together and gave the market a rather unique scent, which hung in the air from early morning to late evening.

Akira was wandering the same jewelry cart that kept giving her gifts every time she walked passed. Today Akira actually took the time to look at the family's merchandise, as the small five year old boy pulled her hand around to show her things. The were glittering bracelets of bronze, silver and gold, sometimes pewter, and gems of every shade of colour Akira could think of adorned the necklaces and earrings hanging on racks, waiting to be perused. There were colourful scarves hanging above her head as the boy lead her further into market, and bigger decorative pieces like hairpins and brooches shone in the sunlight. The young boy pulled Akira back to the street, where hundreds of people were chattering and laughing, and he returned to his family, waiting for her to buy something - because they knew she would. She pulled up a few beaded bracelets and looked at the kaleidoscope of colours is created when she held it up to the sun.

"It suits you."

Akira turned her head towards the voice, eyes still wide in wonder at the colour by the time they'd landed on Kakashi. Surprisingly, he didn't have his book with him today, or at least he wasn't reading it in her face, as per usual. He looked contemplatively from the bracelet Akira was holding up to her face. The girl blinked a few times, and smiled looking at the man's hair. Because it was so pale, the sun shining through scarves and multicoloured fabrics turned it into satisfying mix of reds and yellows. The confusion on Kakashi's face only made her smile grow wider.

"Good morning, Kakashi," Akira said pleasantly. "What brings you here this early in the morning?"

"Morning? It's almost noon," Kakashi chuckled.

Akira looked at him surprised, then at the sky. She laughed, embarrassed. The sun was beating down now, and Akira had no idea how she didn't notice it's heat until now. Apparently she'd been pulled around by the boy for longer than she'd expected.

"I suppose I lost track of time, then."

"You did look pretty focused on that bracelet there."

"Yes, well, Tokuma took me around his stall and now I just have to buy something," Akira said breezily, a small smile playing at her lips. "So, it suits me?"

"Oh, I don't know - I just wanted to grab your attention."

Akira scoffed and shook her head, returning her gaze to the bracelet. Kakashi's charcoal eyes watched Akira's eyebrows furrow and her lips purse as she gazed at the item. He let out a quick exhale and smiled a little, apparently amused by what he was seeing. In the end Akira purchased the bracelet and let Tokuma clasp it around her wrist. She ruffled his hair and smiled as she thanked him before leaving the market, and joining Kakashi for lunch.

Neither of them spoke much - something was clearly on both of their minds. Nevertheless, they enjoyed spending time in each other's company, cutting the solitude of their daily routines. Then they both made their way to training ground three, not a word spoken, just naturally gravitating there for some training. As the two sparred, the conversation slowly drifted from her new Jutsu to the last few missions she'd accomplished. The mission with Sazanami was nothing. Of course it was confusing to have all these Bounty Hunters and problems pop up further into the mission they were, but her team actually performed far better than she'd anticipated. It helped that Kiba was there. Even if he didn't do anything concrete, having there was a big stress relief. Kakashi was more interested in the mission with Raiga and Ranmaru, which unintentionally caused the duo to slowly lean against a tree and talk, side by side.

"It reminded you of Zabuza and Haku, didn't it?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes. I could see it reminded Naruto of them too," Akira sighed, aimlessly plucking grass out of the ground.

"You know, we never really talked about what happened."

"It is not necessary. It was a long time ago."

"Yeah, but I have a feeling you still think of it."

"Of course I think of it, it was the first time I had killed someone."

Silence fell upon Kakashi and Akira, both minds swirling with thoughts, though quite different ones. Kakashi had become numb to killing people, though he had to admit that it came as a surprise to see Haku standing there bloody instead of Zabuza. But for Akira it was different. Not only was it the first time she'd killed someone, but it was because Haku had given his life for Zabuza, something she'd have done for Sasuke - something she almost did for Sasuke. At the time, Haku's death didn't really affect her, but as time went by and her experiences piled up, the more Akira noticed how deeply it had affected her.

"Have you done it again?"

Akira didn't even need to ask what Kakashi was talking about. She nodded.

"Raiga. But you already knew that. I am sure Naruto spoke of it, and you heard it through someone."

"Tenten. She came to me directly." Kakashi glanced at his former student and gazed at her profile for a few seconds. "She was worried."

"Worried?" Akira asked, looking at Kakashi. They held each other's gaze for a few moments. "Why would she be worried?"

"She didn't know you'd done that before."

Akira gave a hum of acknowledgement and turned her gaze back to the lake. A deep sense of serenity overcame her as she stared at the expanse of blue that lay before her. Rays of lights danced across the water, birthed from the afternoon sun that both limited her sight and made the view all the more beautiful.

"How are you?" Kakashi asked out of nowhere.

"I am all right, Kakashi," Akira replied.

They both knew that was a lie, and both of them knew it wasn't going to go past that. Or so Akira thought.

"We both know you aren't."

"There is no point in discussing this, Kakashi. Recently I have the emotional range of a stone. I am fine."

Kakashi crossed his legs and turned himself towards Akira, staring directly at the side of her face. She felt like there was a hole burning there, but Akira knew she'd give in if she looked at him, so her midnight blue eyes remained fixed on the shimmering water. But then a finger reached out and turned her head - navy met charcoal eyes. Kakashi retracted his hand, frowning at it for a split second.

"There's no way I'm going to let you dismiss me like that, you know." he said, a judging yet playful tone in his voice.

"Well you are going to have to. You know how I feel about all this emotional stuff."

"Right, because I love talking about it."

Akira chuckled. Her gaze returned to the front.

"I know nothing about you on an emotional level, Kakashi. All I see is this mask, both literal and figurative," Akira said, gesturing to his face. "All I know is that your name is Kakashi Hatake, that you are a Jōnin that was once an Anbu, and that all the people you cared about the most are gone. Though I have no idea what the context was."

"How'd you figure I was Anbu?" Kakashi said, eyebrows furrowed.

"Your proper Kenjutsu skills. Reminded me of Itachi's Anbu training. The rest I know because you told Sasuke and I was there."

"Yeah, I remember," Kakashi said, still looking at Akira's profile.

The girl brought her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. She sighed deeply.

"I regret doing it. At least that's what I told myself once I got home, still covered in Raiga's blood," Akira began. "Tried to relax in a bath for a while, but every time I closed my eyes I just saw..."

"A dead Raiga."

"No... Myself doing it. Like I was... reliving it." Akira sighed, closing her eyes. "Remember when you asked me to use the techniques Orochimaru taught me? I used one of them on Raiga."

"The ones that you didn't want to use on me, I gather?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes. It was Kenjutsu, a simple technique really, but... All the Kenjutsu I learned Orochimaru developed explicitly for me. He noticed the way that I moved when I used the water from my gourd and the Tai Chi I practised looked like-"

"A dance."

Akira's head snapped towards Kakashi, here eyes a little wide. Kakashi couldn't tell if it was terror or something deeper, but the look in her eyes wasn't something to be celebrated or contemplated with wonder - it was brought out from fear. The girl's eyebrows furrowed for a moment before her eyes returned to the lake.

"Like a dance, yes," Akira said, a little tense. "And he devised tactics based on the flow of my movements, made me feel every inch of my body as I moved. That is why killing Raiga was ever more difficult than Haku. It felt more... personal. It didn't help than Ranmaru genuinely cared for him, either."

"Do you mind if I ask you... how?" Kakashi said tentatively, most likely breaching her comfort zone.

"He called it Chakra Blades: Symbiotic Slashes... You swing both your blades at the same time and at a certain angle and... well, you decapitate the target."

The look of shock that crossed Kakahi's face was the most emotion she'd ever seen from that man, and that was with the mask down. She couldn't even imagine what his face would look like without it. There was a long moment where Kakashi just blinked at Akira, and the latter just looked back at him, as if what she'd just said was completely normal. The Jōnin wasn't completely sure if it was the news that she'd decapitated someone was worse, or the look of acceptance plastered on her face. It was times like these that Kakashi was reminded how quickly she had to grow up.

"I know. It is horrible," Akira muttered, leaning back against the tree. "I debated doing it or not, but he was going after Naruto and Ranmaru and I just... made the decision."

"You were team leader," Kakashi said, coming back to his senses, "you had to make a tactical decision. Ranmaru and Naruto were more important to you and to the mission."

"I know. But there were so many ways I could have done it differently. I think what bothers me the most is that I immediately went for something he taught me. I cannot deny that the Jutsu and techniques are powerful and do come in handy, but the fact that they are associated to him and that I respect him as a Shinobi..."

Akira sighed, defeated, and didn't continue her sentence. She didn't need to.

"I was twelve when the Third Shinobi World War happened," Kakashi said, after a sigh. He pulled down his mask, revealing his face. "I too was on a team - our team leader was the Hokage, Minato Namikaze." Akira's eyes wandered over to Kakashi, and they gazed at each other as he spoke. "I was partnered up with a girl called Rin, and a boy you've heard of: Obito."

"Uchiha?"

"That's the one. Well, I saved his life a couple of times, and we had this rivalry going on. Sort of like Naruto and Sasuke had. Obito was the Naruto of this particular rivalry. I even lost my eye for him." Kakashi chuckled. His expression darkened almost instantly. "Rin had gotten kidnapped. I thought it was more important to get the mission at hand done before worrying about her safety, but Obito wanted to help her at all costs. Now that I think about it, I think he was in love with her.

"Anyway, Obito went off on his own, but we were ambushed, and I jumped in front of an attack that cost me my eye to save Obito. I lost my center of balance, my depth perception and I had a new blindspot. Well, someone took advantage of that and trying to surprise attack me... Obito pushed me out of the way, but he was crushed and ultimately died. He have me his Sharingan to replace the eye I'd sacrificed for him. He asked that I get Rin and protect her for the rest of my life, and then, well, you know the rest. Uchiha got mad and stuff - I invaded your home and you spied on us."

"So that is where your penchant for teamwork comes from... It comes from Obito." Akira couldn't help but smile a little. It left once she thought of Rin. "What about Rin?"

Kakashi took a deep breath and let out the longest sigh imaginable. He turned his head towards the lake, and Akira's eyes wandered over his handsome profile.

"That's for another time."

"All right."

"Though, I will say," Kakashi began, turning back to his former student. "You remind me of her quite a bit."

"Is that... good?" Akira asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"It's probably the highest compliment I could ever give anyone."


	74. Land of Birds

It'd be a peaceful morning for Akira if she wasn't stopping Naruto from doing something stupid for the hundredth time since she woke up barely three hours ago. Why he was up so early was a mystery. Why she had to cross paths with him this morning while he was out being a brat, was also a mystery. Currently, Akira's arms were crossed over her chest and she was looking up at Naruto, annoyed, as he hung upside down from the Third Hokage's rockface nose. The bright morning sun was clouding her vision

"Look Akira, old man's snot!"

"Naruto, get down from there!" Akira shouted.

"Come on, can't you see I'm training my Chakra control?"

"You can do that somewhere else."

Naruto jumped up onto the Hokage's nose and then down the mountainside until he was standing in front of Akira.

"It makes it fun. Come on, I can't get into training alone... Pervy Sage is gone. The only thing keeping me alive is that maybe we'll get a mission connected to Sasuke."

"Ugh, stop pursuing him, Naruto," Akira sighed angrily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We have three years until he is in trouble for real, until then just focus on training. There is no point in looking for him, when he clearly does not want to come back."

"But he's my friend, I have to find him! I promised Sakura I'd bring him back!"

"I promised Sakura to bring him back too, but that does not mean we can do it now. Putting aside a promise is not denying it completely. And he is my brother, have you forgotten? Who wants him home more than I? No one. But until either of us has the power to bring him home, we cannot and will not do anything," Akira said sternly. "Now, I am going to go train."

"Can I train with you? Please!?"

The second Akira looked at him, Naruto's stomach growled and she gave him a deadpan look.

"Not on an empty stomach."

"Oh, let's go have some ramen then!"

Naruto grabbed Akira by the wrist and pulled her along around town until they reached Ichiraku's. Akira had barely any time to sit down before Naruto had already eaten an entire bowl. For at least ten minutes, Akira just sat with her back against the counter and looked between the banners to the shop at the townsfolk passing by. That was until someone caught her attention. She looked to her left, but as soon as she looked, the person disappeared. The girl frowned and looked at Naruto, apparently he'd seen it too. Akira went out to investigate and found a guy hiding on the side of the building.

"If you are hungry and want ramen, just come inside and eat," Akira said coldly.

"O-Oh, I'm not hungry," the man said just as his stomach growled.

"Right."

Akira turned back and sat beside Naruto, and the man soon followed. She ordered a bowl of ramen for him, and he looked at her thankfully. And then he ate another, and another, and another, and another. In total, Akira paid for five bowls of ramen, and she stared at him all the while he ate. Starving and pennyless? And he seemed to be from far away. Who was this man? When Naruto was done gawking at him, they exited the shop.

"Thank you for treating me," the man said. "In appreciation-"

"In appreciation you can tell me what a money-less foreigner is doing in Konohagakure," Akira interrupted.

"Oh, uh, my name is Chishima, and I have come from the Land of Birds. I came to commission a mission."

"You're flat broke even though you came as a messenger from your village?" Naruto commented, confused.

"There wasn't enough money for the commission, so I used up my own pocket money..."

"Must be important," Akira said, and though her face was impassive she was slightly concerned as to what would drive a person to do this.

"It might even cost my dear friend's life," Chishima said sadly.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"I was raised like a brother to Lord Sagi, the Feudal Lord of the Land of Birds."

"You're friends with a Feudal Lord!?"

"Considering your age, I assume he is a recently appointed Feudal Lord," Akira said after glaring at Naruto.

"Right. The previous Feudal lord, his father Lord Owashi, died of illness last year. Then even his twin sister died." The man sighed and looked down at his hands. "Ever since then, Lord Sagi, who was so cheerful, has become a totally different person. He wouldn't show his face even if I visited."

"People deal with with death in different ways, they grieve differently," Akira stated.

"Yes, that is true. But I was thinking that maybe something else happened to him," Chishima said. "So if there is something that I can do, I want to do everything that I can..."

Akira frowned at him. Was he here simply because he is worried about his friend? If so, there was no point in coming here. Lady Tsunade wasn't one for charity. But if she took his money, then surely there was an actual mission. So why wasn't he telling them. So far, all he'd been doing was describing things that seemed to speak to Naruto, as he was looking at the man with the same resolve that he always had on his face when he spoke of bringing Sasuke back.

"Leave it to me," Naruto said out of the blue.

"What - Naruto!"

It was too late. The boy was already gone, leaving Chishima and Akira alone. She sighed and nodded in a particular direction, asking the foreigner to follow her. They walked through the crowds of people in silence, and once again she said hello to everyone she knew.

"They seem to like you," Chishima said, smiling.

"Of course. Did you take me for some monster?" Akira said, giving the man a questioning look.

"N-No! You just seemed a little... cold."

"I am. But ice cream is cold, and people still enjoy it, do they not?"

Akira looked over to him and smiled gently, which made Chishima smile as well. When the two reached the closed Academy gates, Akira could hear Naruto shouting at Tsunade, and then Tsunade and Shizune shouting back. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Did he have no respect for anyone? Her eyes glanced to her left and her eyebrows furrowed.

"What are you doing here, leaning and reading so casually? Do you not usually do this in a tree, hidden?" Akira asked, looking at Kakashi.

"Just came back from Tsunade's office. Naruto ran up after me and I figured I'd wait and listen. For entertainment purposes," Kakashi replied, not once looking up from his book, which was odd since she recently kept seeing him without his book.

"I wonder if Naruto will be okay..." Chishima muttered.

"He'll be fine," Kakashi sighed. "You've gotten to know some good people, Naruto included. He may not look it, but he's quite dependable. Akira, well, you can trust her with your life."

"Stop being nice to me, it is weird," Akira chuckled, giving Kakashi a funny look.

It didn't take long for Naruto to return downstairs, and soon Neji and Tenten had arrived as well. The three ninja and Chishima left the village without much delay, and Kakashi and Akira watched them leave from their spot, eventually following them to the gates to the city and observing them from above in a tree.

"I'm surprised Tsunade didn't send you with them."

"I am waiting to be assigned to a proper squad. At least, I put in the request. Considering the amount of paperwork Tsunade has to do, it could take a while to process."

"Gonna go on proper Chūnin missions, now? Hm, makes me feel old," Kakashi said.

"You are old," Akira said in a deadpan tone. "Besides, it is only if I get approved. Tsunade might want to hold me back a while longer."

"Why would she? You're perfectly capable of handling yourself."

"I know, and I think that is why she wants to hold me back. As I have told Naruto, I am not going to go searching for Sasuke because I am not strong enough, and at the speed at which I am getting stronger, I just think that Tsunade wants to slow me down so I do not desert the village once again."

"Would you?" Kakashi asked, serious.

"Yes," Akira said instantly, but then she sighed and glanced at her superior. "Not if you told me to stay, though. I do not think I could disrespect you that way again."

Kakashi smiled and put his hand on Akira's head, ruffling her hair. The girl shook it back into place with a chuckle.

"Do you know what the mission was?" Akira asked.

"Ghost extermination." When Akira looked at him unimpressed, he continued, "It seems the ghost of the late Feudal Lord is haunting the Land of Birds, or so people think."

"Ghosts do not exist. Surely it is someone in costume."

"Reports say that someone saw the ghost first-hand - flew and vanished, the whole package."

Akira frowned and stared at the retreating figures of Naruto, Neji, Tenten and Chishima. She had a bad feeling about this mission.

"I made the same face when Tsunade told me the mission."

"We should follow them," Akira stated firmly. "I have a bad feeling."

"A bad feeling? Since when do you trust your gut instinct?" Kakashi asked, teasing.

"Shut it. Something is going to go wrong, I just know it," Akira huffed. She jumped down to the ground. "You following?"

"Why not?"

"All right, give me a minute."

All of a sudden, Akira disappeared from Kakashi's sight in a puff of smoke. He waited down below the tree for a few minutes, until Akira reappeared in the same spot that she disappeared from with an added backpack and her Katana. Kakashi rose an eyebrow.

"Where did you learn that Jutsu?"

"Why?"

"I've seen you use it before, never had a chance to ask," Kakashi said.

"Oh, it is just something I picked up a while ago... I only succeeding in performing it recently," Akira replied, beginning her trek to the land of birds. She turned to face Kakashi. "Are you simply going to stand there, or are you coming?"

Kakashi sighed. She wasn't going to tell him. So he caught up with her and both ninja began their trip to the Land of Birds. They didn't need to follow the others very closely, or at all for that matter considering that they doubted anyone would attack them on their way. Around midday they stopped beside a stream and had lunch, which Akira made on the spot with the things she'd put in her bag. At nightfall, they set up camp in the cover of trees and bushes, hanging a tarpaulin between a few trunks in case of rain. They ate a small dinner and set up their roll out mattresses beside each other, and Kakashi took the first watch, though neither of them ended up sleeping. Akira tried, but the second her eyes closed and she felt like she was sleeping, bright yellow eyes flashed in her mind and she was startled awake.

"You all right?" Kakashi asked, looking away from the horizon to Akira.

"Yeah," the girl sighed, sitting up. "You can sleep if you want, I am apparently not going to."

"I don't sleep much either."

Akira chuckled humourlessly. Of course he didn't sleep. The girl pulled a sweater out of her bag and threw it over her shoulders, then leaned back onto a tree. She stared out at the horizon. There were a few bushes and trees obstructing her view, but the sky was clear and the stars were bright, so the whole landscape was tinted a pale shade of blue. The stream nearby almost looked like a river of diamonds, the moon's reflection splitting up into a kaleidoscope of miniature moon reflections. Akira took a deep breath.

"Anything that can take your mind off of it?" Kakashi asked.

"Not really. Usually I would get up and train, or sit outside and..." Akira stopped. "And sit down and did nothing."

"Sit down... and do nothing?"

"Yeah. It is a really distracting activity."

"I have never known you to sit down and do nothing. What were you going to say?" Kakashi insisted.

Well, I have not done so in quite a while, but I would go out onto the balcony and sing." Akira chuckled. "Sometimes I would wake up Sasuke and he would tell me to be quiet, then leave. He would often come back shortly after and listen to me."

"Nothing is stopping you."

"I am not singing in front of you."

"Why not?"

"Because I know only songs that my mother sung, and they are either really childish or really depressing. Or it is a love song."

"So?"

"Kakashi!"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Kakashi laughed and Akira childishly crossed her arms in a huff, which only made the man laugh even more. She looked at him with a deathly glare, but seeing him amused made her laugh as well. And slowly their laughter died down together into a peaceful silence. Akira sighed and rolled her eyes. A soft voice then began to rise...

 _In the moonlight I felt your heart_

 _Quiver like a bow string's pulse_

 _In the moon's pale light_

 _You looked at me_

 _Nobody knows your heart_

 _When the sun has gone I see you_

 _Beautiful and haunting, but cold_

 _Like the blade of a knife_

 _So sharp, so sweet_

 _Nobody knows your heart_

 _All of your sorrow, grief and pain_

 _Locked away in the forest of the night_

 _Your secret heart belongs to the world_

 _Of the things that sigh in the dark_

 _Of the things that cry in the dark._


	75. Surveillance

Akira and Kakashi watched the sun slowly rise into the sky, as the black sky faded into lavender and then shades of orange and yellow. Morning had come, not very quickly, and even though neither ninja had any sleep, the rest proved to be refreshing all the same. The duo packed up their things in silence and had a cup of tea before departing for the Land of Birds once again. Kakashi and Akira walked side by side on the trails when the terrain was even and ran through the trees when it suited them better. Akira didn't speak for most of the journey, as she was running things through her mind. Just exactly why did she think something bad was going to happen? It wasn't like she could predict the future, nor did she have a talent for predicting outcomes of certain situations. It was just a deep feeling in her gut, and she was following it. Kakashi didn't even try to bring her out of her thoughts. She would probably chew him out for distracting her anyway. Besides, it wasn't like the silence was uncomfortable.

It was about midday when they arrived in the Land of Birds. Akira used her sensory technique to see if Naruto, Tenten and Neji had arrived with Chishima yet, but it seemed that they were ahead of them. So they waited in a few nearby trees, in silence, and hid better once the three ninja and the messenger arrived. Once they were inside, Kakashi jumped over to the same branch that Akira was on and leaned in to speak in a hushed tone.

"One of us should at least be inside the perimeter of the village. I suggest you go," he said.

"Why me? You are far stealthier than I am," Akira whispered, looking up at Kakashi. She backed up her face a little. "Well, that was close..." she added under her breath.

"Think of it as practise."

"Or you could also just admit that your silver hair is too flashy and that you are too lazy to perform a transformation Jutsu."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Akira rolled her eyes and made a hand sign before a cloud of smoke appeared around her. When the smoke cleared, Fugaku Uchiha was standing in front of Kakashi, wearing a simple grey kimono. Kakashi gave her a cheeky thumbs up, which she smacked away, then descended from the tree to enter the village.

There wasn't much there. It was a poor village, and only the Feudal Lord seemed to have home that was more than just plain. Most of the people were dressed in simple garbs, which thankfully weren't much plainer than what 'Fugaku' was wearing, so it wasn't very hard to blend in. However, 'he' had to stay far away from Neji's eyes, as he'd spot the transformation Jutsu in an instant, even without his Byakugan. She followed the three ninja around for a short while, until nightfall, when they visited a seemingly abandoned temple on the outskirts of town. And there it was, the fabled Cursed Warrior of the Land of Birds. He reminded 'Fugaku' of the Samurai of old with the traditional armour and helmet, but his clothing was pure white and the mask on his face was that of a demon. Naruto and Neji exchanged a few blows with it until it flew off and vanished, seemingly into thin air. Then they returned to the town in the cabin Chishima had prepared for them, and bunked for the night.

'Fugaku' returned to Kakashi and Akira transformed back into her normal form with a single hand sign. She heaved a sigh and dropped down onto the thickest branch in the tree they were in.

"It seems that this... Cursed Warrior is a legitimate problem."

"Is he now?" Kakashi said, putting away his book.

"Or at least the person behind it is a problem," Akira sighed.

"The person behind it? There was someone in the suit of armour then."

"No."

"No?"

"No, there was no living presence inside the armour, at least not anyone with a Chakra network."

"Everyone has one," Kakashi said, a little confused.

"Exactly." Akira pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I do not know what to tell you, Kakashi. I do not believe in ghosts, but I have yet to find an explanation for a moving suit of armour."

"Did the others have any ideas?"

"Neji suggested that Komei, the Tactician, could be behind it. Seems like a logical leap, he would have the most to gain from disturbing the Feudal Lord and the Chief Advisor."

"He's the next candidate for Feudal Lord," Kakashi stated, pensive. "Do you think he's capable?"

"Komei has men that are capable of Ninjutsu, so it is not impossible. But only investigation will provide answers."

Kakashi nodded and sat down just as Akira stood up and jumped down the tree.

"You hungry? I am going to town to get myself something to eat, have any requests?"

"Not really."

"Very helpful. Well, I want to eat something fried, so you will be getting that too." Akira turned and began to walk away, eventually turning back into her father, then his voice spoke, "I wonder if they have tonkatsu."

Kakashi chuckled and went back to his book, watching his comrades retreating figure head towards the city. It was late, and there weren't many things open, or even homes with lights on inside. It took a while before 'Fugaku' found a street food cart that was serving late night, mostly drunk customers. It took 'Fugaku' everything not to chuckle or even smile when one of the men stumbled and fell flat on his face. His friends apologised on his behalf and carried him away. The Uchiha moved forward and took two orders of tonkatsu from the nice old man and slowly returned to Kakashi, casually looking around at her surroundings.

"The delivery woman is here," Akira called as she reached the bottom of the tree.

Kakashi looked down at her and she gently tossed up the food, then swiftly climbed up and sat beside him, legs swinging over the edge of the branch. Kakashi began opening the bag of food but Akira tore it from his grasp and playfully glared at him. he blinked at her in surprise.

"I bought it, I get first pick."

Kakashi chuckled, and watched Akira as she carefully examined both meals. He had a feeling she'd chosen at first glance and that she was just being a pain. Eventually she handed him a container and they ate in silence, until Akira tossed her empty container in someone's outdoor trash bin nearby and leaned back with a satisfied sigh.

"I am going to sleep very well tonight," she said, a gentle smile on her face.

"Are you now?"

"Yes, I am. I am like a fat old man - fried food makes me sleepy."

"So that's why you're always eating fancy, healthy food," Kakashi laughed. "So you don't fall asleep."

"Shut up."

Akira made the mistake of closing her eyes for brief moment, and the next thing she knew the chirping of birds woke her up just as the sun was rising. It was pink and orange through the trees, and few beams of sunlight beginning to creep up to the town nearby. Akira blinked the grogginess away from her eyes and straightened herself up, cracking her stiff neck at the same time. She hadn't moved from last night's spot, and Kakashi hadn't either.

"Morning," he said casually.

"Did you sleep at all?" Akira asked, stretching her arms out in front of herself.

"Couple of hours. And as predicted, you slept very well."

"Sorry about that, I just closed my eyes and... poof."

"How's your neck? You were sleeping at a weird angle, there."

"I was just sitting, how is that a weird angle?"

She stood up to stretch the rest of her body. There were more cracks and pops than Akira expected.

"You shamelessly fell asleep on my shoulder, kid."

"I did? Huh, that explains the stiff neck... You're too tall," Akira said.

To Kakashi's surprise, it was said in a nonchalant tone. He half expected her to be embarrassed about it. But this was Akira after all. She didn't much concern herself with the intricacies of human relations. The girl turned back to Kakashi.

"I will return into town today and follow them again. You should get some information on the Feudal Lord and the Tactician, maybe even this Mōsō who hired us in the first place."

"Telling me what to do now, huh? I think this Chūnin position got to your head."

"It is merely a suggestion, but I cannot guarantee your safety once I come back and you have not done anything."

Akira saw Kakashi smile through his mask, and she smirked at him before assuming her father's appearance once again, then disappeared into the crowd of people in the city. However, once at the cabin she found Chishima, Neji, Tenten and Naruto leaving for the lake on the outskirts of town. They seemed to be following the Feudal Lord and his guardsmen, most likely to talk to him considering that he didn't seem too chatty these days from what Chishima had said.

Tailing Neji was one of the most annoying things Akira had ever experienced. Even without the Byakugan, that boy's ability to sense other people was incredible, though in this case it only made things unpleasant for the Uchiha. He kept pausing and turning his head in her direction as if he knew she was there, but even though Akira had a clear line of sight on him, it seemed that Neji couldn't see the intimidating looks of Fugaku Uchiha. And it was pure luck that Neji didn't use his Byakugan to confirm whatever suspicion he had.

Chishima and the three ninja stopped in the tall grass in front of the lake. The disguised Akira concealed herself a ways away, in the thick foliage of an oak tree, but she was close enough to see the approaching Feudal Lord in his norimono. They stopped directly in front of the lake and the Feudal Lord seemed to be deep in thought. The ninja Akira was spying on didn't make a move for a long time, they simply stared at Lord Sagi and waited. However, they were interrupted by a gang of three men with short swords. They seemed fairly able with them, but Neji, Tenten and Naruto defeated them rather easily, and they retreated quickly. The Konoha ninja attempted to speak with Lord Sagi, but he turned them down and threatened to have them arrested if they didn't leave them alone, even going as far as telling Chishima that they weren't friends due to their social status.

After he left, Akira learned from the ninja's conversation that the tactician had been attacked by the Cursed Warrior in the middle of the night. Fugaku Uchiha's eyebrows furrowed and she followed Chishima and company back to the cabin they were staying in. It could be that he was throwing everyone off his scent, but it seemed odd that someone guilty would put themselves through that much stress just to avoid suspicion. Komei was a tactician, surely he had the brains to come up with a better strategy than a ghost to get rid of the Feudal Lord. But the rest of the town, as well as Neji and Tenten, seemed to think that Komei was the ideal candidate for the attempted assassination. However, Naruto wasn't buying it either. He was convinced that it wasn't that simple. The Cursed Warrior wasn't alive - there wasn't anyone in the armour, so it couldn't be Komei or anyone of his soldiers.

But that didn't stop the townsfolk from arresting him that same night.


	76. A Serious Shinobi

The meeting with Mōsō the next morning was an odd one. Akira, once again disguised as her father, followed Neji, Tenten and Naruto into the village and eavesdropped on their conversation with the Chief Advisor. It seemed that Komei had confessed. To what exactly, Akira didn't know, as Mōsō only told them what Komei was accused of, and he didn't elaborate on the circumstances on arrest or confession. People under duress usually confessed to anything, regardless of their guilt. Akira followed the three ninja to their cabin and they began to pack, having been dismissed by the Mōsō, the man who had initially hired them. She was glad to hear that she wasn't the only one who thought the arrest was suspicious, and team leader Neji allowed Naruto to continue investigating. Unknown to them however, Chishima had heard their entire conversation, and when Naruto bumped into him on the way out, he bolted towards the Chief Advisor's home.

Akira made a mad dash to follow him, more concerned about the civilian than any antics Naruto would pull off. Chishima slowed down once he approached the house, and was going to walk straight past Mōsō's home when he seemed to have seen or heard something inside. Akira jumped onto the roof of the building and carved a small hole, then pressed her ear to it to listen in on the conversation going inside.

"... some trouble caused, but we at last have a safe refuge." It was Mōsō speaking, and he seemed to be addressing a group of people. "

Akira heard Chishima gasp, and within seconds she was down beside him, pulling him away from the dozen of kunai thrown at him. They were the same kunai tossed by the assassins at the lake, and this solidified the claim that Mōsō was behind everything. The Uchiha still didn't know for what reasons though. She swung Chishima onto her back, and all of a sudden she felt something wet on her back. Moments later, small splashes of blood began dripping from her own clothes. She wasn't hurt, so where... Akira cursed under her breath. Chishima had been hit by one of the kunai and had begun to bleed out. Not only did he need immediate medical attention, but his blood was leaving a visual trail for the enemy to follow. Akira got as far away as she could from the village and headed for the deep and thick forest near the lake. She set Chishima down and he landed softly, a quiet groan escaping from his lips. Akira fumbled for a clasp on her jacket and pulled out some bandages and a pair of metal tweezers.

"This is going to hurt."

She'd seen Hinata clean up wounds with ease, but Akira wasn't as skilled in beside manner as she was. The girl knew basic and emergency wound treatment reserved for the battlefield. None of what she was going to do was recommended by a medical professional, but there were people on her trail and there was no way this man was going to bleed out and die on her watch.

Chishima nodded frantically and closed his eyes, refusing to look at what she was going to do. Akira pulled up his shirt and exposed the wound that was gushing blood. She pulled her sleeve over her hand and sopped up a majority of the blood, staining yet another of her shirts red. The Uchiha pulled a small scroll from her pouch and shoved into Chishima's mouth, instructing him to bite down hard and keep quiet. Akira performed a simple hand sign and heated up the pair of tweezers with a small Fire-style Jutsu. The girl wiped the wound one last time and then put the searing hot tweezers on Chishima's wound. Chishima bit down on her scroll and the only sounds that were heard was the sound of burning flesh and muffled screaming. Akira removed the tweezers, wiped them on her pants, and repeated the process, fully closing the wound. She took the scroll from Chishima's mouth, stuffed it back into her pouch then sat the man up so that she could quickly bandage him.

"Thank you," he said weakly.

"There is no need to thank me," Akira said, entire body on high alert, ready to jump into action. "What did you see? Who was Mōsō talking to?"

"They were crouching on the ceiling, so I thought Mōsō was talking to himself at first. But there were at least four or five of them. I just remember two. One of them was really big and hat a straw hat on, and the other was thin and he had bright blue hair. The others were wearing masks," Chishima said. "I've never seen them before. I don't think they're part of the Land of Birds' forc- wait, what are you doing here?"

"Saving your life, it would seem."

Akira's head darted to her left moments later. People were coming. She grabbed Chishima and pulled him onto her back again, then made a run for the opposite direction. Her eyes closed and she breathed deeply, trying to listen. From what she could hear, there were about half a dozen following them, and gaining as well. It wasn't as if she could accelerate much with Chishima on her back, though.

"Hold on," Akira said, letting go of Chishima.

He held onto her as she moved her hands around and her fingertips felt the pull of water. Akira banked to the right and avoided half a dozen shuriken thrown at her. She glanced behind and spotted the two men Chishima had described, as well as four others. Akira threw a few well-aimed shuriken at the men, and by the sound of it at least two were hit. More shuriken flew towards her, and Akira intentionally let one of the sharp blades hit her shoulder, then pretended to fall over a cliff and into the water below. However, Akira simply moved her hands around and a bubble of air was created underwater, allowing herself and Chishima to hide beneath the cerulean liquid for as long as her Chakra permitted.

"All right, I think we are clear."

Akira and Chishima returned to the surface, and the girl looked at the sun.

"It is almost noon. Komei is going to be sentenced soon."

"What should we do?"

"We shall do nothing. I will be stopping it. You are but a civilian, Chishima. And I have already saved your life once - I do not wish to do it again the same day," Akira said.

Chishima smiled sheepishly and Akira gestured for him to climb onto her back once again. She made a dash for the village again, hoping that Kakashi was handling some things himself - like Naruto. Akira dropped Chishima off at the cabin Neji, Tenten and Naruto were staying at and made a b-line for the center of the village. When she arrived, Akira knocked out a few guards and snuck onto the roof to observe the situation. After using her sensory technique to identify everyone in the area, Akira lay in wait. Mōso and most of his men were sitting underneath a balcony, with Komei kneeling before them under the hot sun. There was a gate surrounding the sentencing area, and Akira couldn't help but feel that only executions were held in this place. There were men positioned at various places beside the gate, and onlookers stared either angrily at Komei, or acted scared when gazing at the smiling Mōso. The rest was open space, which left little place for a quiet and subtle ambush. She'd have to draw attention to something else or use smoke bombs. Either way, Mōsō would know it was an ambush immediately.

However, Akira didn't have to do anything because moments later a few smoke grenades rolled in front of Mōsō and blew up, shrouding the entire area in a dark blue haze. Akira took the opportunity to jump down from the roof and in front of Mōsō, who couldn't see her because of the smoke. Behind her, someone was knocking out the guards standing either side of Komei, prepared to kill him. She watched, slightly amused, as Mōsō ordered his guards all over the place, then turned to find what appeared to be the Cursed Warrior taking Komei away, but Akira knew better. She'd sensed people she knew earlier. And by the time the smoke had cleared completely, Akira, Komei, the Cursed Warrior, as well as three of Mōsō's men were missing.

Akira followed the Cursed Warrior until she saw him flying as he hung onto a pitch black kite, explaining how he could fly in the dead of night. Her eyes glanced to the side. Someone was following her. Moments later, hoping her hunch was right, Akira jumped down from the trees she was in and dropped down beside Mōsō's three men. One of them, upon seeing Fugaku Uchiha's face, smirked and transformed back into Kakashi. Akira did the same, returning to her original form. Kakashi rose an eyebrow at the blood and burnt bits on her pants.

"Emergency surgery."

The other two men looked at Akira in surprise and turned into Neji and Tenten.

"You're here too!?" Tenten asked, surprised.

"It was my idea to come along in the first place. I knew something was going to go wrong."

The four ninja came upon the clearing that Naruto, Neji and Tenten had initially met the Cursed Warrior in. Said warrior suddenly landed in front of the small temple with Komei, and when Neji began to threaten him, Komei admitted that he didn't know who it was, and that he too was trying to figure out his identity. In the end, Komei and the warrior ran off. Neji and Tenten followed, leaving Kakashi and Akira behind to fight whoever had been following them since they left the center village. Akira presumed it was the two men that Chishima had described. If they weren't wearing masks, they were probably leaders and therefore the two Mōsō would trust the most to take out anyone posing an issue.

"Come on out," Kakashi called. "You were following us the whole time, right?"

Akira smirked and pulled out her Katana, twirling them in her hands. She was right. Kakashi had sensed them too. He pulled out a single Kunai, but no one came forward. Akira could sense their presence, but her eyes couldn't pick them up.

"If that's your intention..." Kakashi mumbled. He performed a few hand signs in quick succession and slammed his hand to the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

Pakkun appeared in a puff of smoke.

"What is it, Kakashi?" the canine asked.

"Smoke out the ninja hiding on the temple grounds."

"Consider it done."

Pakkun began sniffing out the area, and he eventually stopped in front of a large rock.

"Hey, you there," he said. "Hide-and-seek is over."

"I can't fool a dog's nose, as expected."

A large mass suddenly came out of the rock, and when it had completely emerged the stone's appearance faded into that of a man. He was large and wore a straw hat, and Akira could only assume he was one of the two men that Chishima had described earlier.

"You finally grace us with your presence, huh?" Kakashi said, looking over the man. "It seems he has a tantō, Akira, did you want to take this one?"

"You have a tantō as well, Kakashi. I have Katana. You are better suited for this, I should think," Akira replied casually, putting her blades away. She went to lean on a tree and observe. "He is all yours."

"How kind of you."

It didn't take long for the battle to begin. Kakashi and the enemy circled each other for a while. The man threw a Shuriken, which Kakashi cancelled out with his Kunai. And then they both pulled out their tantō, clashing a few times.

"Isn't it common sense for hired ninja to return home quietly after completing their mission?"

"It's different in the case of the premise of the commissioned mission breaking down," Kakashi said. "There were too many suspicious points in this mission."

"You're sticking your nose too far in the business of another land. Here you could've returned to your land safely if you hadn't sniffed around like a dog."

"Well, that's her fault." Kakashi pointed to Akira. "She's the one who figured something would go wrong. I just got dragged along."

"To be fair, you could have simply stayed home," Akira huffed, crossing her arms.

"Enough banter!" the man shouted, putting his hands together in a hand sign. "Universal Assimilation Jutsu!"

Pakkun ran at the man and bit him on the neck, but he cried in pain and ran off. The man's skin had turned to stone. Akira raised an eyebrow, interested, and blinked slowly to activate her Sharingan. Pakkun attempted to bite him again, but the enemy performed the same Jutsu so all Pakkun bit was stone. Akira's pupils dilated as she watched the exchange, and when Kakashi dismissed his ninken, Akira blinked slowly again to dispel her Sharingan. Another Jutsu copied.

"Since you've learned a part of this land's secrets, I can't let you live!"

All of a sudden, the man became a giant boulder and quickly rolled towards Kakashi. He tried to stop him with a Kunai, but the Kunai shattered and the giant boulder hit Kakashi straight on. Akira was a little worried at first, but Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke which meant that it was just a substitution. Even this long after the first time he used a substitution in her presence, during the bell test, Akira still had no idea when he found the moment to use it. Then all of a sudden, Kakashi appeared on the other side of the grounds and made a hand sign, causing a paper bomb on the man's back to explode. Shards of rock flew in every direction, leaving nothing but dust where the man once stood. The paper bomb was also a mystery. Kakashi never even got close to the man. And even though he literally just destroyed a human being, Kakashi turned to Akira with a dorky smile and a thumbs up. How was this man a serious Shinobi?

However, it was almost as if Akira's Sharingan woke up on its own when the shards of rock began moving. Then all of a sudden she had dashed in front of Kakashi and pulled up a barrier of water to block the piercing power of the rock. The rock reformed into the man, but his skin and clothes were all grey like the rock. Akira could feel her eyes burn.

"I thought I was all his," he chuckled darkly.

"Yes, well, it seems that he cannot even do simple tasks like take out the trash," Akira said airily, returning the water barrier to her gourd. She turned to Kakashi and muttered, "You all right?"

He nodded, frowning at the man made of stone, and removed his bandanna from his Sharingan.

"We're wandering Shinobi," the man said. "We make do without having a village by going around to every village, stealing Jutsu and devising new Ninjutsu. For example, a Jutsu like this one, too..."

All of a sudden, the man's fists began to dissolve into sand, and Akira's red eyes went wide. This was Gaara's Jutsu! Kakashi and Akira avoided the Sand Coffin numerous times, jumping around the temple grounds and barely landing before having to move again. But the man thought ahead and trapped both Kakashi and Akira in the same Sand Coffin, predicting where the two would land next. Even with the Sharingan it was useless. However, Akira at least had the time to created a shell of water around the both of them, shielding both ninja from the crushing power of the Jutsu. The sand remained in its position even when the water was returned to the gourd. Akira and Kakashi shared a look of relief before they each performed the same Jutsu.

"Chidori!"

Akira's scarred right hand lit up bright blue and the sound of thousands of birds filled the confines of the sand coffin. Then both Shinobi cut away at the sand, nearly synchronized, until the barrier crumbled into dust. Then Kakashi grabbed his tantō, and Akira grabbed one of her Katana, and they both stabbed the pile of sand. To add insult to injury, Akira conducted lightning through her blade and electrocuted the sand, which slowly turned back into a man.

"How did you figure it out...?"

"Because I've seen your Jutsu with these very eyes," Kakashi responded, much to Akira's surprise.

The man looked closer at Kakashi's eyes, and then Akira's. He seem confused for a moment, but eventually his own eyes widened in surprise.

"I remember now... You're Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja with the Sharingan! But she... she has the same eyes! How?"

"I am Akira Uchiha," the girl said simply.

"One of the survivors!?"

"Yes, and I can tell you that your Jutsu does not even faintly mirror that of Gaara's. You are only being lazy, leaving your body somewhere else and simply manipulating the rocks and sand... He is Gaara of the Sand for a reason."

"We are nomads, ridiculed as lower-rank Shinobi without a village... that's why we travel around the country, stealing Jutsu, sharpening our skills, struggling to one day find our way into a place in the sun. But no matter how dedicated our efforts are... to think there are dimensions that can't be transgressed..."

Finally, the man stopped talking, and the rock began to fall from his body, returning his skin and clothing to their original colours. The Katana retracted from the man's body as he fell backwards onto the ground, motionless. Akira let out a relieved sigh, wiped her blade on her pants and slid it back into its saya.* She'd have to clean her blade once she got home.

"Well he was annoying," Akira muttered, walking over to check the man's pulse. There was none. "He will not be annoying us anymore it would seem."

"You know," Kakashi began, "I'd go on about how you being so calm about dead people is really weird, but it's really not the time."

"Is it that odd? You were way younger than I am now when you were in Anbu, no? Which means that you saw death before me."

Akira dragged the immobile man to a tree and laid him beside it. She crossed his arms over his chest and placed his tantō in his hands. Kakashi gave her a questioning glance and she shrugged.

"He died in battle and for a cause he believed in, no matter how deluded he was."

Kakashi chuckled a little dumbfounded and smiled, placing a hand on Akira's head. She swatted it away when he began ruffling her hair. This girl never ceased to amaze her, but his admiration was cut short when smoke began to rise from beyond the derelict temple. It was coming from the Feudal Lord's home. Akira and Kakashi almost groaned. Trouble never seemed to cease.


	77. Nice Teamwork

"Do you think they are all right?"

"Well, they've made it this far. I doubt they'd go out like that. Naruto wouldn't have it."

Akira laughed in agreement. Of course Naruto wouldn't let himself go out without a bang, or at all for that matter. Kakashi and Akira decided to not investigate the smoke coming from the Feudal Lord's domain. They were sure that everyone would come out fine. Instead, they sat themselves down in nearby trees and waited. It seemed Kakashi's habit of hiding in trees was rubbing off on her, as she didn't descend to the ground to clean her Katana even though it would have been easier - more so to just wait until she was home, but she had time to kill.

Akira removed a cotton cloth from her jacket and cleaned the blade with it and a small amount of water from her gourd. She placed it back into her jacket, then from another pouch she retrieved a dry cloth and dried her Katana before applying a layer of Chōji oil on the blade. With another cloth, Akira spread out the oil to shine and seal the blade. The cloth sopped up most of it, and the powder she sprinkled on top after dried up the rest so she could polish the blade. Akira held it up to the light and examined her sword then returned it to its saya.

"It's impressive how much you care for those blades."

Akira looked up at Kakashi. He seemed to be observing her attentively.

"They were a gift. Of course I will care for them."

"A gift?" Kakashi said, surprised. "Someone got you swords?"

"Yes. Kiba did."

The Jōnin seemed irked then confused. Akira rose an eyebrow at him.

"Why would he get you those?"

"I lost my Tachi in the Forest of Death, remember? When I first met Orochimaru. I woke up in the hospital and they were just there. A get well soon gift it would seem."

"Kind of expensive for a get well soon present..." Kakashi mumbled.

"I am sure Shikamaru and Kai pitched in as well," Akira shrugged. "It is a shame though..."

"What is?"

"The loss of my Tachi. I was taught the art of the sword with those, and while I do prefer these Katana it would mean a great deal to find the blades my brother gifted me when I was first learning." Akira sighed. "Maybe I will go looking for them when we return..."

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Akira and Kakashi turned to the familiar voice. Neji, Tenten and Naruto, who was carrying a passed out Komei, had just emerged from the derelict temple in one piece. Naruto looked around and spotted Akira as well.

"Akira too!? What're you doing here?"

"Her idea. Apparently she's trusting her gut now," Kakashi said sarcastically.

"Your tone, Hatake," Akira warned, albeit playfully. She turned back to Naruto. "Do not ask me how, but I knew that something was going to go wrong. I did not expect it to be Chishima, however."

"Oh, yeah! You saved Chishima's butt back there, huh?" Naruto laughed, smiling brightly. "Didn't think you knew medical Ninjutsu."

"I do not. I used crude battlefield methods to seal the wound. I do not have Sakura or Hinata's skill."

"Well, what did you do?" Tenten asked, pulling a worried face.

"I cauterized the wound."

Naruto screeched unnecessarily, and Akira rolled her eyes. Chishima would live, that was all that mattered.

"Anyway..." Kakashi said slowly.

"Right! Sagi squashed us just now and went off somewhere, believe it!" Naruto shouted. "Gimme a break... That guy's some kind of jerk!"

"Please don't blame him for the things he has done," Komei said, finally coming to. "He is himself, but not himself right now."

"Cut to the chase, Komei," Akira sighed.

There was no time for pleasantries and cryptic sentences.

"He is obsessed with avenging his father and younger sister's deaths. I believe he is possessed by the ghost of the late Lord Owashi."

Akira rolled her eyes and groaned, jumping down from the tree.

"There is no such thing as ghosts. I limit my beliefs to spiritual presences, not full-fledged ghosts. Those are a joke."

"That's not necessarily a joke," Neji countered.

"Stop it! That kind of stuff gives me the creeps!" Naruto shouted.

"Get a grip! This isn't the time to be squabbling over things like that!" Tenten yelled back. "What's important now is to find Lord Sagi!"

"But we have no idea where he went!"

"If he is possessed, it is certain that he will return to take revenge. And moreover, very soon," Kakashi said.

Akira let out a quiet scream.

"Why is everyone speaking of ghosts? Even Kakashi!" she muttered to herself, pulling her hair. "For the love of - This is ridiculous!"

"All right, who is the best with a naginata?" Neji asked, bringing Akira back to reality.

"That would be either me or Tenten," she said.

"I think Akira would be better suited for the whole thing," Tenten explained, earning nods from Neji and Naruto.

"Suited for what thing?"

It seemed that while Akira was complaining about ghosts, Neji, Tenten and Naruto had come up with a plan that Kakashi didn't disagree with. Unless it was him who came up with it. In any case, Akira was heading to Mōso's home wearing the Cursed Warrior's armour. The chest plate was slightly uncomfortable, crushing her chest a little, but it was otherwise well-fitted. It bothered her to wear a mask, though. Akira held the naginata in one hand and the threads to the kite aiding her flight in the other, and she glided over the trees until she came upon Mōso's yard. He was already fighting someone in a Cursed Warrior suit, and Akira knew that Lord Sagi had come to take revenge.

"What the-" Mōso muttered as Akira landed beside the other Cursed Warrior. "Two?

Sagi looked at Akira, frowning deeply. His mask was gone.

"Which one of you pesky ninja is it?"

Akira didn't reply. Instead, she went into a proper attacking stance with her shoulders facing Mōso, her feet far apart and knees bent. The naginata was pointed directly at the man's head, gleaming in the light of the torches near his home. Mōso narrowed his eyes at her.

"You seem more refined than the others..." he said, then took a step forward. "A proper warrior perhaps."

Akira recognised the hand signs that Mōso was performing. Though no one could see it, she bared her teeth in anger as the Great Fireball Jutsu of her family came to view. The Uchiha had been stolen from by these wandering ninja as well, God knows what other Konoha Jutsu he'd stolen. The fireball came directly at Akira, and the girl planted the naginata into the ground before she held out her hands in a special way in front of her and faced the fire. The flames deviated from her body without even touching her hands, and they died out behind her.

"Tell me who you are, thief," Akira called, voice distorted by the mask.

"Mōso is just a fictitious name used to deceive the world. My name is Hōki. The Leader who heads the Wandering Ninja," the man said. "In place of having a village, we the Wandering Ninja-"

"Steal Jutsu and use them inappropriately," Akira interrupted. "How else could I break the Uchiha's Great Fireball Jutsu so easily?"

"But," Hōki said, trying to ignore the last comment, "our family has tired of living as nomads for so long. And we have been searching for a Land to call home."

"I see," Sagi said, pointing his own naginata at the man he knew as Mōso. "From the very start, you came here to the Land of Birds with the intention of taking it over!"

"There's no way that somebody like you, who was born destined to be Feudal Lord, who could understand the suffering of wandering ninja who do not have a homeland! I don't see a problem with the Wandering Ninja seeking a homeland. After all, your father was someone who easily trusted others - he never suspected anything when I falsified my abilities as High Priest. He misinterpreted my Genjutsu for talent and spiritual power. The only person who suspected me was Komei." Hōki chuckled darkly. "I assassinated Owashi and drove off Komei."

"So it was you, after all!" Sagi shouted.

"And the last step is to kill you, Sagi!"

Sagi growled and threw his naginata at Hōki, but the man dexterously hit it back to Sagi with his fan. The naginata hit Sagi's helmet and it flew off, revealing long black hair. Akira narrowed her eyes, but Hōki seemed scared.

"Yes, that's right!" Sagi said in a more feminine voice. "My name is Toki!"

Lady Toki slid out a Wakisashi from its scabbard and pointed it at Hōki.

"I will avenge my brother's and father's deaths!" she shouted, launching herself at Hōki.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu!" the man shouted.

Akira's jaw clenched and the grip on the naginata increased, knuckles turning white underneath the thick leather gloves she was wearing. The Shadow Possession Jutsu is a secret of the Nara Clan, not even Akira had the audacity to copy it with her Sharingan. This was crossing a line that no one should cross in Akira's presence.

"Our shadows are overlapping, you cannot move!"

Akira snorted loudly through her anger.

"Oh please," she said through clenched teeth. "Do you really think that that is how the Secret Jutsu of the Nara Clan works?"

Akira twirled the naginata in her usual style and slashed a few times at Hōki, completely disregarding the shadows on the ground. She even stepped in them and continued to move freely, not confined by the enemy's Jutsu. Just as Hōki brought his fan to his neck, and therefore the Wakisashi blade to Toki's neck, Chishima ran out from the bushes and grabbed her, freeing Toki from the Shadow Possession Jutsu. Akira swung at Hōki several times, and he dodged them all with amazing precision. Hōki pulled out a few shuriken and threw them at Akira and Toki. Akira dodge the shuriken heading her way and tossed the naginata towards the last few which prevented Toki or Chishima from getting hurt.

"I heard everything just now," Akira heard Naruto shout from his hiding spot. "Sagi, I mean Toki! Leave it all to me!"

"Naruto!?" Toki shouted, looking around.

"That is not going to happen! You will die by my hand!"

Akira pulled out the Cursed Warrior's Wakisashi, twirled it, and pointed it at Hōki's throat. If he could have seen through the mask, he would have been able to tell that her gaze was just as terrifying than that of the mask itself. Hōki scoffed, raising another Shuriken.

"Brave warrior, protecting these pests! Who are you to get in my way!?"

"What!?" Naruto yelled at Akira. "You didn't tell him who you are!? That's-"

"None of your concern," Akira interrupted.

"Hey!"

"Enough!" Hōki shouted. "Who the hell are the both of you!?"

Akira smirked just as dozens of Cursed Warriors appeared before Hōki. Naruto's Shadow Clone Jutsu was flashy, but it didn't make it less effective.

"The heavens are watching your villainy!" Naruto shouted. "There is no way we will forgive you!"

"Why... you stupid Leaf Ninja! It's only a Clone Jutsu!" Hōki laughed. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

"Mine is better!" Akira growled loudly.

Akira made a simple hand sign and slammed her foot to the ground. Pillars of rock rose from the ground and blocked the small fireballs heading towards all of Naruto's clones. While Hōki was confused about the Earth Style Jutsu, Akira rushed forwards between the pillars and climbed one, jumping down above the enemy. She swung her sword down at Hōki and he barely moved in time to dodge the sharp blade. At the same time however, he sent a dozen shuriken flying. All the Shadow Clones were hit except four, who stopped the shuriken easily and transformed back into Neji, Naruto, Tenten and Kakashi.

"Kakashi Hatake... So you're here too, huh?"

"So it would seem. Though it seems rather rude not to introduce my partner over there," Kakashi said, nodding over to Akira.

Akira would have smiled at the word partner if she wasn't busy taking advantage of her enemy's short attention span. Hōki suddenly had to hold up a kunai to block the Wakisashi swinging down on him once again. Akira jumped back when he swiped at her with another kunai in his other hand.

"Who is this animal!?"

"I am no animal," Akira said in a controlled voice, attempting to subdue her anger. She gracefully pulled off her mask, and Hōki immediately looked cross. "Yes, I am a woman," she added, her voice no longer distorted.

"No woman should fight like this! What kind of woman are you!?"

"I am Akira Uchiha, the sole heir to the Uchiha Clan."

"And you are Hōki, the leader of the Wandering Shinobi," Kakashi piped up. "I've heard rumours about you."

Hōki growled angrily and performed what seemed like a summoning Jutsu. All of a sudden, three large dragons appeared in the area. It was enough to distract Naruto, Neji and Tenten so that Hōki had the time to knock down Chishima and grab Lady Toki. Kakashi knocked the projector out of the tree, making it crash to the ground and dispel the fake dragons. Akira performed a summoning Jutsu of her own, calling upon Shiro once again. It was as if the serpent rose from the ground beneath Akira, and she fly into the air as she stood on his head.

"Good evening, Akira-sama," Shiro said politely.

"Akira-sama!?" Naruto shouted.

"Good evening, Shiro. I apologise for calling upon you so late in the day, but I require your assistance."

"Do not apologise - I am here to serve you."

Neji and Tenten huddled together.

"Why is that snake so polite?"

"Why is her summon a snake in the first place?"

"It called her Akira-sama - what's that about?"

Akira rolled her eyes and explained to Shiro that she wanted him to track Lady Toki's scent, as it'd be easier to track her than Hōki the so-called Shinobi. It didn't take long for Shiro to locate them, and Akira rode on the serpent's head as he rapidly dashed through the forest.

"This is what a summon should look like," Akira shouted proudly as she came upon Hōki.

He stared up at her, terrified, and Akira finally got to see him for what he really was. The Genjutsu had worn off and Hōki was no longer Mōso, but a fairly tanned man with face paint that was reminiscent of Kankuro. Lady Toki was beside him, tied up and still in her heavy Cursed Warrior armour. Soon enough, Naruto arrived beside the large Shiro, whom Akira dismissed because Hōki wasn't a worthy enough opponent for the serpent in her mind. Akira landed beside Naruto with a quiet thump, and then Chishima arrived as well.

"Are you okay in that armour?" he wondered.

"Yes, I am all right. I quite like it to be honest, although I would need a bigger chest plate to accommodate my... um, chest."

Akira cleared her throat and turned back to Hōki. He'd calmed since Shiro had disappeared.

"I see you are gracing us with your true appearance."

"My name is Hōki. I'm a Wandering Ninja. I'm not about to let you get in the way of my taking this peaceful land, which I have finally managed to snatch," he said, then performed very familiar hand signs. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

"Naruto, get Chishima out of here!" Akira called.

Despite the tightness on her chest, Akira moved her arms as best she could and used her hands to 'cut' the water dragon with her hands, every bit of sliced off water falling back into the river nearby without even reaching her. Hōki seemed scared, but he wasn't letting that stop him. He ran forward and threw shuriken after shuriken, all of which she blocked, except those that weren't going for her. She assumed that Naruto would stop them, but Lady Toki screamed. Akira turned and saw that Chishima had two shuriken imbedded in his back. He protected Naruto. The blond hadn't been paying attention.

"Chishima, you idiot! I told you I didn't want to save you twice!" Akira shouted.

"N-No, it's all right. Keep going... I'll - I'll be okay."

Akira nodded stiffly as she performed various hand signs.

"This is what an Uchiha Jutsu is..." she muttered to herself, then shouted: "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

Warmth grew in Akira's mouth and then she blew, a large fireball growing in front of her. Then she shot it at Hōki, and it was too big to be avoided. The sound of Hōki's screams rang throughout the glade, but then they suddenly disappeared alongside his clone. All of a sudden there were dozens of him, and then dozens of Narutos. Akira ran over to Lady Toki and freed her while Naruto and Hōki faced each other. She brought her to Chishima, who was slowly loosing consciousness.

"Stay by him."

Toki nodded and began to care Chishima, while Akira returned to the battle. There was only one Naruto and one Hōki now, and Naruto seemed to be winning the battle, kicking the enemy upwards to perform his own take on Sasuke's Lion's Barrage: the Uzumaki Barrage. Hōki was kicked downwards with such force that the river overflowed onto the bank at least a few feet. Akira slowly she her armour and her flak jacket, leaving the girl in only her hakama and crop-top. She dove down into the water and retrieved Hōki, tying him losely by the wrists so that all she had to do was drag him out of the water.

"Akira..."

The Uchiha looked over at Lady Toki.

"You are a true warrior. Thank you."

"Just doing my duty, Lady Toki," Akira said, then bowed respectfully.

"Hey!"

Neji, Tenten and Kakashi waved over at them, standing a short way away. Akira dragged Hōki over to them, soaking wet. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her. She did the same to him, and for a moment they just judged each other because they were glaring at each other.

"Can I help you?" Akira said, finally.

"Why're you all wet?" Kakashi asked.

"I jumped into the river to retrieve this idiot."

Akira tossed Hōki's restraints down, and she kicked him lightly to turn him on his back. He groaned and began to wake up, so, at the same time, Akira and Kakashi bashed him on the head to knock him out again. They both laughed lightly.

"Nice teamwork, partner," Akira joked, referring to what Kakashi had said earlier.

"Nice teamwork, indeed."


	78. Land of Sea

**** Hiya! Just letting you know that there are quite a few technical Japanese terms in this chapter. You should look them up if you really want to understand the text (there are too many to translate at the bottom of the page). Thanks and have a good read! ****

* * *

Akira groaned as she sat up in her bed, eyes immediately falling on the picture of the old Team Seven. She smiled lightly and stood up, fetching her dark kimono from her closet. The shoji were slid open to let in the morning light, and Akira walked down the porch to the kitchen where she made herself a simple bowl of okayu and umeboshi, and ate it while she stared at the koi fish in her pond. A sparrow caught a bug midair and flew off right in front of Akira's face. She dodged the bird easily, and it gracefully rose into the air and disappeared into the garden.

The bowl of okayu was placed in the sink to be washed later in the day, and Akira got dressed in the most basic clothes she could find. Not that her usual clothing was complicated in any way. She left all her ninja gear at home, as well as her flak jacket, and calmly made her way into town. The only thing that she brought with her were the Katana she took everywhere. Akira wove her way through the early morning crowd and headed to East Konoha where most of the merchants were located, and entered a store that her father used to go to often. The Blacksmith and Armourer of the town recognised the blades that she was carrying, immediately.

"Ah, you must be Akira Uchiha!" the man called, smiling.

"Yes?" Akira said, confused. She'd never met the man, how'd she know who was? "I apologise, have we met and I simply do not remember?"

"Oh, no! We've never met before, but I recognise those Katana. Made them myself."

"Ah, of course. I thought they would have been made at a specialty shop."

"No, no. The Inuzuka Clan are faithful customers, as was your father. Kiba had those blades made for you and I gave him a friendly discount," the owner chuckled. "So, what can I help you with?"

"I am looking for armour. Made specifically for me, of course."

"Oh, for you Shinobi duties? Well, you can get that stuff at any surplus store, you know. They have so much stock that you can probably go in the back and get something that suits you perfectly."

"Not that kind of armour," Akira said with a light chuckle. "I recently came to try on a set of armour that dates back to at least... I would say the First Hokage. This is if I am getting my history correct."

The man seemed taken aback. Armour like that was no longer used for a reason. It was usually clunky and not easily maneuverable. The traditional style of fighting worked well with the armour, but with the development of ninja tactics and Ninjutsu it became more impractical.

"I am familiar with this type of armour," the owner stated. "What do you want from me?"

"Is it possible to make the armour more... practical? Wearable in this day and age?"

"Why?"

Akira heaved a sigh and shrugged. She thought for a moment, and her mind almost immediately went to Lady Toki and her previous mission.

"Someone recently called me a true warrior. I suppose that resonated with me," Akira said. "Besides, the samurai were well-regarded and are the image of protection."

"Come by tomorrow. I will think something up."

"Thank you."

Akira bowed deeply to the man and exited the shop, taking the long way home which passed by the Academy. She looked up at the building that housed the Hokage's office. If she hadn't been summoned yet, Akira could expect a quiet day, probably mission-less, which would allow her to get in some more training. Unfortunately, Akira wasn't so fortunate and a Jōnin appeared in front of her as if Tsunade had been reading her mind. He handed her a scroll and disappeared into a puff of smoke. It was a request for her presence. Akira sighed. Back to back missions once again, it seemed.

Akira was in Tsunade's office in moments, and the second she stared at the Hokage, she knew something was wrong. Tsunade looked serious for once. It helped that she wasn't arguing with Naruto, but the way she was looking at Akira was synonymous with something very serious. The girl's mind couldn't help but jump to dozens of conclusions, and the involvement of Itachi or Orochimaru wasn't excluded. It didn't help that her old proctor, Anko Mitarashi entered the room moments after she did. Akira had heard from Kakashi that she had the same or a similar Curse Mark as her own. Upon seeing Akira, Anko narrowed her eyes, and she too knew that something was wrong.

"There is a mission I want to send the two of you on," Tsunade said when Shizune finally walked in with the appropriate documents. "There is an Ocean Demon causing trouble."

"An Ocean Demon causing trouble?" Anko repeated, a little confused.

"Yes, literally a demon in the ocean. Seems to be the cause of the disturbance in the remote Land of Sea."

Akria sensed Anko freeze beside her, and she turned to look at the Jōnin. It looked like she'd seen a ghost. Akira turned to the Hokage and narrowed her eyes.

"What is in the Land of Sea? Other than this... Demon, of couse," she asked.

"You'll go for me, won't you?" Tsunade asked, narrowing her eyes at both women and completely ignoring Akira's question.

"Lady Tsunade I-"

"Of course," Anko interrupted. "We'll go."

Akira turned to Anko and glared. If Tsunade wasn't going to tell her what is or once was in the Land of Sea, then she'd ask Anko later, no matter how uncomfortable it would make her. There was no way she was going in blindly after the reaction that came out of the Jōnin. Akira sighed deeply and turned back to the Hokage with an impassive look on her face.

"Shizune! Explain."

"Y-Yes!" the woman said, then pulled down a map of the area known as the Land of Sea. "As you can see, the Land of Sea is made up of several islands of various sizes. Recently in that area, their only means of transportation, ships, are being attacked and robbed of money and valuables."

"The people of the boat who were victimized unanimously claim that the damage was done by the 'Demon of the Ocean'," Tsunade added.

"And extermination this Demon of the Ocean is the objective of this mission?" Anko asked.

"Well, more or less. There's more."

"The Land of Sea does not have a Hidden Village of its own, so they're prepared for contingencies through military cooperation with the neighbouring country, the Land of Water, and have been paying them a retainer every month."

"One of the ships that transports the funds was pillaged," Akira stated, rather than questioned. "So, to preserve their relationship with the Land of Water, the Land of Sea is willing to do anything to protect their next ship."

"Yes. This mission is to guard the ships collecting funds and destroy the Demon of the Ocean," Tsunade said. "Now, Anko is the superior officer, so while you will be co-leaders in this team, you still have to answer to Anko should anything go awry, Akira. But I have a few people to work under the both of you, so I'm counting on you."

"Work under us?" Anko questioned.

At the same time Anko finished her question, a knock came to the door as if Tsunade had planned all this to the minute. Shino, Naruto and Ino walked in, looking at Anko and Akira, confused, and vice-versa. Akira couldn't understand how this combination of people could work well as a team, not to mention a five-man team seemed to be a lot for this mission. Anko and Akira could maybe work together, considering they received training from the same man; Akira and Naruto worked good together; but it was odd to throw in Shino and Ino like that, especially since Akira wasn't familiar with the extent of their abilities. This is why Chūnin usually formed a team and stuck to it for the majority of their missions until they made Jōnin.

"Everyone! I'm pronouncing your mission!" Tsunade shouted, getting everyone's attention. "Shino Aburame, Ino Yamanaka, Naruto Uzumaki - the three of you will work under Anko and Akira and accompany them on a mission."

"What!? These members!?" Naruto shouted.

"The team is pretty disjointed, isn't it!?" Ino agreed.

"No use talking about it. It is how it is," Tsunade said sharply.

"Still, something doesn't feel quite right..." Naruto muttered.

"Yeah, yeah. No complaints about a mission that's already settled," Anko chastised. "Okay, we'll leave right away. Everyone gather your things and we'll meet by the entrance gate."

"Roger!" the three Genin chorused, and then they exited, leaving Anko and Akira with Tsunade.

"Anko, Akira!" the Hokage called as they too were about to exit. They both turned to her. "Be careful..."

"Yes," Anko said simply before walking out the door.

"I am not so easily satisfied, Lady Tsunade," Akira stated. "Orochimaru has or once had a secret base in the Land of Sea, right? That is why you specifically asked for Anko and I, in case that he was still there."

Tsunade stayed silent, which made Akira storm out in anger. It was clearly about Orochimaru, so why wasn't Tsunade answering her questions or even speaking his name at all? Was it because she didn't want Akira to get carried away again? The girl scoffed, storming down the street. Tsunade was still holding her back. After this, Akira would definitely request higher ranked missions.

The girl didn't immediately head home. She headed back to the armourer's shop to let him know that she wouldn't be present tomorrow. He had already come up with with a design however, much to Akira's surprise, but at least it meant he had the mind and the talent to pull it off. As a good luck gift for her mission, the man donated her a few items of clothing that she transported back to her home. She used the forbidden technique to disappear from the shop and reappear in her garden, and then headed to her room to change.

Akira removed her simple clothing and took a moment to properly put on the items that the shop owner, who she learned was named Oshio, had given her: she slipped the shitagi over her head and buttoned it, then put on the hakama and proceeded to pleat it neatly and and tie them and the shirt together with the designated sash. It didn't look much different than her regular clothes, as recently she'd been wearing wide-legged pants more and more, but it definitely felt different. The clothes, though old and moderately worn, were still sturdy and surprisingly comfortable. It was odd that they fit her though, as these garments were only made for men. Perhaps these belonged to a boy, once. Akira sat on her bed and pulled on the tabi and jutsu, tying them both up around her ankles until they were secure. The girl stood and jogged and jumped in place, getting used to the feel of the footwear. Akira used the himo to secure her Katana to her waist, and she made sure they were tightly in place before moving on to her gear. She tied her bandanna to her forehead, letting the usual locks of hair fall and frame her face, then tied her pouches filled with shuriken onto the himo. Finally, Akira threw on her flak jacket as she walked out of her room, but she stopped to look at herself in the mirror before she went any further. Something about her appearance captivated her, and she couldn't help but imagine what she'd look like with her armour. Like Toki said, she was a warrior. A proud smile made its way onto her face and then she disappeared from her home only to reappear by the front gates. Anko was already there, and Naruto, Ino and Shino arrived seconds later, reading the notes from the small book Shizune had given them.

"Characteristics of the Demon of the Ocean," Ino read. "It's like a fish, like a person... what is this!?"

Akira subconsciously scratched at her neck. By that description, someone was either playing tricks on them, or one of Orochimaru's experiments was wreaking havoc on the Land of Sea.

"Something like that can't exist!" Naruto complained.

"Not true," Shino reasoned. "It is possible that ex-ninja become pirates and use Transformation or Genjutsu."

"Well, whatever. If we don't gather information there will be no solution," Anko said, which irked Akira. It was clear Anko knew what was up as well as she did. "Mother Island is the biggest island of the Land of Sea. We'll go to a nearby port and cross by fishing boat!"

Naruto cheered.

"Yeah! Let's go to the Land of Sea!"


	79. Kaima

Akira sat upon the cool rocks on the beach, her hakama soaking up the damp morning dew, as she overlooked the sea. Darkness had not long surrendered to the light, yet she could see the thick grey clouds that were cast over the sky. The sea was tainted; no longer an abyss of black, nor did it appear blue. Instead it looked a metallic grey, glistening as the occasional spear of pale light pierced through the clouds and danced over the surface. Soon, the new dawn sent shimmering rays over the placid ocean, bestowing a golden path from the shore to the horizon. Akira blinked toward the sun that brought her a day she was never promised, yet was glad to see. She let the moment sink in, soothe her from her core right out to where the rays touched her skin. Even though her mission had already begun to go astray, the sunlight and the ocean were the only things that had kept Akira's hopes up right now - if the sky remained vivid and the ocean powerful, then so could she.

Akira grabbed her flak jacket then stood, and with one last glance at the ocean she retreated inside the strange girl's home. Naruto was still asleep, but he had regained some colour since they first got here. Akira dropped her jacket to her side and sit down, leaning back against the wall, staring at Naruto. She sighed, then looked around her. There wasn't much to stare at. The walls were bare and a dull brown colour, and the floors were just the same save the tatami mat Naruto was lying on. It was a worn blue colour, instead. Akira's gaze wandered back to Naruto when he began to stir and his bright blue eyes blinked open.

"Good morning," Akira said coolly.

"Good morning," Naruto replied, looking a little confused. However his eyes lit up seconds later. "That's right! I-"

"You've come to," the strange girl announced as she slid the door open.

"Yeah. Hey, you're that girl from yesterday! I get it now - you saved me! Thank you!"

"It just happened... She's the one who protected you the whole time."

Akira rose an eyebrow at the girl. It was true, but why wasn't she at least taking credit for finding him?

"Yeah, but that's her job," Naruto said, waving it off. "You really saved me, and went out of your way and stuff!"

"He has a point," Akira said simply.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I'm Naruto Uzumaki and this is Akira Uchiha. What's your name?"

In any other case, Akira would have stopped him from saying it, but if she was connected to Orochimaru, maybe the mention of her name would give her away. And it did. Akira almost didn't notice the gleam in the girl's eye when Naruto said her name, but it was there. This girl was definitely connected to her former... teacher.

"Isaribi," the girl answered hesitantly.

"So, Isaribi, you're the girl who saved my life!" Naruto said with a chuckle.

The girl looked at him surprised for a moment, then she lead Akira and Naruto back into the next room where she'd made some stew. She served both ninja a bowl, and Akira couldn't help but discretely smell it before eating, checking for tampering. Of course, Naruto just dug straight in, and even had time to have a second bowl before Isaribi spoke up.

"Why did you come to this remote area?"

"A mission, of course!" Naruto stated, starting on his third bowl. "To exterminate the Demon of the Ocean that has been troubling this country!"

Akira watched Isaribi out of the corner of her eye. At the mention of the Demon of the Ocean, she subtly pulled a face. Clearly the mention of this Demon displeased her.

"It would be best to quit," Isaribi said. "You won't get away easily if you get involved with the Demon of the Ocean."

"Is that a warning or a threat?" Akira said, matter-of-factly.

"There's no need to worry!" Naruto said, ignoring the glare both girls were exchanging. "Anyway, this is a mission. We were careless yesterday, but next time we'll catch that Demon of the Ocean!"

"So you feel fine now?"

"Believe it, Akira!"

"Good. Finish that bowl and let us get out of Isaribi's way."

With that, Akira stood and bowed politely to their host before exiting the small home. The sun was finally shining brightly, glinting off the shimmering water and reflecting like crystals. The rays cascaded over the sand and the stones, and penetrated even the darkest shadows. The only escape from the sunlight was beneath the oak trees that lined the shore, and even some dappled light streamed through the leaves, leaving tiny shapes on the ground in intricate patterns. Akira's mind wandered back to Konoha. What was Kiba doing, she wondered. Was Kai back from his mission? Shikamaru was probably slacking today - it was Friday after all. How about Kakashi?

"Hey, who're you?"

Akira snapped out of her thoughts and turned towards the voice. She raised an eyebrow upon seeing a small group of children hiding behind a large pile of rocks. She suspected they were the culprits of the 'art' on Isaribi's walls.

"My identity is none of your concern," Akira said seriously.

"She's scary," one of the kids whispered. "But it's kinda cool."

"Are you one of Isaribi's friends?" another asked.

"No. I am merely gathering information." Akira took a few steps towards the kids.

"Woah, are you a ninja!?"

"Can you not tell by the headband?"

"So cool!"

"What about you? Are you one of Isaribi's friends?" Akira countered, ignoring the kids' fascination.

"Y-Yeah!"

The look of surprise, or maybe terror, on their faces was hard to miss.

"Then why do you not knock on her door instead of hiding like little cowards?"

"Hey, she's out! The monster is out!"

A rock suddenly flew towards Akira, obviously not intended for her. With a swift movement, the Uchiha caught it and crushed it in her hand. She looked over her left shoulder and at Isaribi and Naruto. Isaribi's eyes drifted from her face to her shoulder, where the Curse Mark was visible. To anyone, it would look like a simple tattoo, but it seemed that Isaribi knew what it was, and was quite frightened by it. Akira sighed and looked away, back towards the kids. Even here the Curse Mark terrified.

"Get out of here. Before I show you who the monster really is."

The kids scrambled to their feet and bolted, stumbling over their feet as they ran. Akira swung on her flak jacket, effectively hiding the Curse Mark, and turned to Isaribi and Naruto.

"Stay away," Isaribi said, looking straight at Akira. "Leave me alone."

"As you wish," Akira replied calmly, though it was hard to hide the hurt in her voice. Even someone as rejected and hated as Isaribi didn't want her around. "Come on, Naruto."

"What!? We can't just leave her alone!" Naruto protested. "If they keep doing that-"

"I'm saying that it's none of your business!" Isaribi shouted at Naruto. Her gaze returned to Akira. "And I don't want you around me!"

"Huh? What did Akira do to deserve that!?"

"Let it go, Naruto. Come on."

Akira began to walk off in the direction she was facing, and Naruto followed her when Isaribi walked away as well. He stared at her expressionless face for a while as they walked. It didn't take him long to stark talking though.

"You all right there, Akira?"

"Of course I am. Why would I not be?"

"You look like someone spit in your ramen."

"Isaribi saw the Curse Mark," Akira said finally.

"So what?"

"She knows what it is."

The look of realisation on Naruto's face was the single reminder that he wasn't a complete dunce.

"That's why she didn't want you there! 'Cause she's met Orochimaru!"

"I think she is one of his experiments, and so does Anko."

"Why? Is it 'cause of the bandages? Maybe she's just hiding a bad rash or something..."

"I also think that she is, or at least affiliated to this Demon of the Ocean."

Naruto remained silent until he and Akira reached a cliff overlooking the ocean. He seemed to be deep in thought, either convincing himself that Akira was wrong or that she was right. She could see the island that they were on the day before, and from here it seemed to be at a relatively short distance. Maybe they could walk back? However, something else caught her eye. It was a small slit in the cliff beside them. Akira walked over and peered inside, only to be met with darkness. The was a quiet echo of waves however, letting her know that it lead to water. With her hands touching the rough rock on either side of her, Akira cautiously walked into the fissure. She closed her eyes and listened as she moved, unable to use them in this darkness. Akira scoffed. Using this technique when Orochimaru himself was probably involved in this... Suitable for the situation, yet oddly ironic.

Akira soon began to clearly hear the push and pull of waves the further she went along, and when she began seeing light through her eyelids, she opened her eyes and continued on. She and Naruto, who'd silently followed behind her so far, came up upon an ocean cove, and arch of rock the single entrance to the beach that laid at their feet. The sun had already begun to set by then, and the reflection of the low sun on the water was quite something to look at.

"Quit feeling glum, Akira!" Naruto whined. "We're on a mission! There's an ocean! You love the water!"

"These waters are tainted," Akira sighed, sitting at the edge of the water. She stared as the waves only just missed her toes. "Anko said that this place was one of Maru-sama's secret laboratories."

"Maru-sama..?"

Akira frowned and ignored her slip of the tongue.

"I am already tainted. There is no need to submerge myself in waters that are infested with his presence unless I have no other choice. I have no interest in his laboratories or his experiments."

"But... don't you want to know why he gave you a Curse Mark, or how to get rid of it?" Naruto asked.

"No. I do not care why he gave it to me, and I do not wish to know how to get rid of it," Akira replied.

"Y-You don't wanna get rid of it?"

Akira sighed and remained silent, pressing her hand over her twitching Mark. He couldn't understand even if she painted him a picture. What Orochimaru did to her was definitely not welcome, but she couldn't possibly put the blame on him entirely. After all, it was her own fault that she went to him, seeking to use the Curse Mark's power. She was naive, and she was suffering the consequences of it now. The moment people saw the Mark and knew what it was, their faces changed. Even her closest friends, when reminded of its existence, seemed to be weary of her. And now, with more and more people knowing and seeing her second level form... it made them even more terrified of her. She was a monster, and Akira couldn't disagree.

A quiet gasp pulled Akira away from her thoughts. Isaribi was behind her and Naruto, looking terrified. Akira stood and walked towards her, but Isaribi simply side-stepped her and ran to the water. The second her feet touched the water, her body began to shift and change. The bandages that were wrapped around her suddenly ripped and revealed a very reptilian appearance, with green scales and crest on her head.

"It can't be! You're the Demon of the Ocean!?"

Akira's head swiftly turned towards the new voice. Ino, Shino and Anko were there, just now coming out of the fissure she and Naruto has passed through earlier. With a wave of her arm, a wave of water rushed towards Akira and the others. She raised her own arm and cut through the wave, making it part on either side of her. Isaribi's eyes widened in shock at the display. Akira was about to follow her out into the water, but a scream of pain came from behind her. Anko had gotten hit by the water, and it seemed to have triggered some kind of memory which in turn caused the pain from her Curse Mark to rise exponentially. Akira slid over and caught Anko just as she collapsed.

"No, go..." she muttered.

Akira didn't need more words. She handed Anko over to Ino and gave them basic instructions before running off into the water. The second that her skin touched the water, the Curse Mark seemed to swell, and the pain grew. She paused a moment, roughly squeezing her shoulder to numb the pain a little, then dove head first into the ocean. Akira created a bubble of air around her nose and mouth, then opened her eyes. The salty water hurt at first, but she gradually got used to it - normally she'd only swim in soft water, so there was nothing to hurt her eyes. She silently followed Isaribi at a safe distance, keeping her eyes fixed ahead as to not lose sight of her in the darkening waters.

Akira barely noticed it until a giant wave of pain nearly paralysed her just as the sun had set, but the Curse Mark had gradually become more and more painful the closer Akira swam to the place Isaribi was going. Another wave of pain hit her and this time Akira had to stop and take a breath, which she hadn't done in a very long time. The girl's jaw and fists clenched, anger coursing through her veins.

He was here.

Orochimaru.


	80. Good Girl

Orochimaru.

He had to be there. If he was, did he know she was there? If he did, why wasn't he leaving? Was he waiting for her, expecting her? If Orochimaru was here, who else was with him? More experiments? Sound ninja? Sasuke?

Akira's mind was running a million miles a minute. There was nothing calm about her, except the moves her body made as she swiftly glided in the water. As the sun set and the water got colder, Akria's muscles threatened to seize up if she didn't keep moving. Thankfully, Isaribi seemed to be in a hurry to get away and to her destination. It took a while, but eventually she swam upwards and disappeared to what Akira could only assume to be land. She swam up and waited a moment before poking her head out of the water. There was a small rocky landing, and a large metal door that lead to who knows where.

Akira winced as she pulled open the heavy door, the pain in her shoulder starting to take a toll on her. She sighed and stopped, then took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Accept the pain, Akira..." she whispered to herself. "Turn the pain into power."

With a few deep breaths to calm and center herself, Akira continued her journey. The door had opened up to a long narrow corridor. It was dark and dank, humid air reaching her lungs as she breathed quietly. Stalactites descended from the the cave's ceiling, some of them tickling the ground because of their length. Her footsteps almost echoed as Akira cautiously made her way forward, looking around for any sign of a door or other corridors, but there was nothing for a long time. Only the one long passageway.

Eventually she turned left down another corridor, and a soft green light seemed to be coming from one side. Akira narrowed her eyes and unsheathed one of her Katana as she approached the light. It was coming from a door that was slightly ajar, and upon peering inside it the girl's eyes widened. She pushed open the door to better see the dozen tanks in the room. They were at least ten feet tall, filled with clear liquid and some had... specimens floating inside. As Akira moved further in, she saw what remained of a large feline, its severed limbs floating in the somewhat viscous liquid, a gruesome and failed attempt at crossing a bird with a man... but nothing fish-like. If there were failed experiments, they had been disposed of. If not, Isaribi might not be the only experiment that survived. Akira looked away and continued into the next corridor as she glanced at the last specimen. The man's severed head reminded her of Raiga too much to look at for any longer than a second.

The next few rooms off the corridor were mostly empty, with remnants of examination tables and laboratories filled with old herbs and once living specimens in jars. Dust caked everything except for one room nearest the end of the hall - this one was spotless, various sharp instruments laid out on a table with books open all over the place, and fresher ingredients lining the shelves on the walls. Akira took a quick look at the books and scrolls for something pertinent to the Curse Marks, but there was nothing there. All she could see were instructions on skin grafts and transplants, as well as DNA mumbo-jumbo reserved for scientists she couldn't hope to understand without further study.

At the end of the hall was a suspiciously ornate door - suspicious enough for Akira to remove her other Katana from its sheathe. The trademark twirl never happened - Akira was too tense to think about anything else other than what was behind that door. The tension was diffused the second she pushed it open however, and saw nothing but a very small room. There were chairs on one side and a table on the other, almost like some sort of waiting room. Akira walked closer to the table and saw a bundle of cloth sitting atop it. She put one of her Katana away and reached out to pull back the fabric and violently jumped back at the sight of what was inside. Glinting in the darkness was, unmistakably, her old Tachi.

A jolt of pain in her shoulder sent her to the ground almost immediately after, and a door swung open when there was no door before. Akira's wide eyes stared nervously at the door leading into darkness, and after a few moments of recuperation, she stood, stared at her Tachi, and walked through the door. There was a large, imposing hall on the other side, a few stalactites and stalagmites meeting together to create pillars. Two torches were placed on either side of the room, and through the dim light, Akira could see someone sitting down and another person standing next to them. The beating of her heart was so loud in her ears that Akira couldn't even hear the sound of her own footsteps or her own breathing. Her palms were sweaty, her hands almost trembling, but if she trembled, the light bouncing off her Katana would give her nerves away, and scared wasn't what she wanted to come off as.

Akira stopped, breath hitched in her throat. She barely recognised the man before her: short white hair, pale grey yukata and bandages covering most of his face... but the eyes staring back at her, the piercing yellow eyes of a snake waiting to strike. Those were familiar. They were the eyes from her nightmares.

"My dear, Akira," the silver-tongued man spoke. "How nice it is to see you."

"Orochimaru..."

"Have you already forgotten what I taught you?"

"... Maru-sama," the girl whispered, correcting herself.

She didn't want to call him that, but once again, the odd and compelling charm that he had sucked her back in quite easily. Orochimaru chuckled darkly, though Akria knew it was a pleasant laugh from him.

"I taught you well, didn't I?"

"You have changed," Akira stated, voice louder, more confident.

"Only physically. But you have too, my dear. Both inside and out. Tell me, how many people have you slain?"

The question should have caught her off-guard, but it was as if she was answering routine questions from her superior. It didn't even bother her that he knew she'd killed people.

"Three that are worthy of mention, sensei. Haku, the right hand of Zabuza, Demon of the Hidden Mist - impaled. Aoi Rokushō, former wielder of the famed Sword of the Thunder God, which now belongs to me - impaled. And Raiga Kurosuki, the Thunder of the Hidden Mist - decapitated."

"Decapitated? Interesting..." he said, sounding way too eager for comfort. "Tell me, how is your training going?"

"My training?" Akira said, finally regaining some of her mind back. "Why do you want to know about my training?"

"Is it wrong for a teacher to be curious about his student's training?"

Akira frowned and shook her head, trying to snap herself out of her daze. But then Orochimaru stood and slowly approched her. Akira couldn't help but stare at him, and at his eyes frozen in place from their intense gaze. He gently reached out to her, and Akira didn't have the nerve to move away as he pushed away a few strands of her hair to get a look at the Curse Mark. A venomous smile made its way onto his face.

"It's causing you pain isn't it?"

"Only because you are close," Akira managed to whisper.

Orochimaru let her hair run through his fingers as he backed away and returned to his seat. He looked over his shoulder and nodded forward, indicating to whomever was standing in the shadow to move forward. Akira almost cried when her brother came into the torch-light. Her eyes roamed every inch of him, making sure he was unharmed and healthy.

"Don't worry, my dear, I take good care of him. Unfortunately, as you can see, I had to use someone else's body for the time being," Orochimaru sighed.

"Why?" Akira asked, genuinely curious.

Orochimaru smirked. Her curiosity still amazed him.

"My former teacher."

"The Hokage?"

"Yes. It seems he saw fit to use the Reaper Death Seal to stop me when I attacked Konoha a few months ago. I lost the use of my arms, and the decay was slowly moving to my heart."

"You had no choice," Akira reasoned. "How very... fortunate. It gives me time to get stronger and then retrieve Sasuke from you."

"One thing that hasn't changed about you is your arrogance," Orochimaru chuckled.

"I would call it confidence, Maru-sama."

Orochimaru smiled and he stood again, walking up to Akira. Her body tensed almost instantly.

"I'm afraid this is all the time I have today. Your friends have finally caught up to you. Unless..."

"Unless I come with you..."

"I'm sure Sasuke would be happy to have his sister by his side again," Orochimaru crooned, playing with a strand of Akira's hair. "And I cannot lie that having two Uchiha by my side would be delightful."

What scared Akira the most about that suggestion, was the fact that she was considering it. She looked over at Sasuke. He was staring back at her, gaze unwavering. Could this be the opportunity she was waiting for? Was this her second chance to protect her brother like she'd promised herself? Akira held out her hand to Sasuke. He glanced at it for a second, then approached, placing his hand in hers. The shadow of Kiba, Kai and Shikamaru's faces seemed to pass over Sasuke's, as if trying to dissuade her, and then looking back at Orochimaru, Kakashi's unmasked face passed. Akira frowned, looking at Sasuke's hand. She recalled the sensation of Kakashi's hand on her head.

"Your hand is cold."

"So?" came Sasuke's reply.

"I cannot help you..."

With a pained look on her face, Akira backed away from Sasuke and Orochimaru. The lock of hair he was holding slowly fell back and returned to mingle with the others. Orochimaru frowned.

"I am sorry, Maru-sama... I cannot go with you," the girl said, sounding almost sad. "I have a weakness that lies in my friends. I cannot abandon them."

"It is still a shame you use your power and grace for them and hide it from the world." Orochimaru began to move past her, stopping when he stood beside Akira. "Do you intend to stop me?"

"I should... but no. I will not stop you. I am afraid I have not the heart to do so."

"Come Sasuke." The boy moved past Orochimaru and Akira, and exited the room. "What will you tell the others?"

Akira looked at him over her shoulder, and into his piercing yellow eyes.

"You were gone before I made it inside."

"Good girl."


	81. Escape

Akira leaned back in Orochimaru's chair, blankly staring at the tachi that were on her lap. She'd seen people consumed by regret, like maggots are in their intestines. They analyzed every action and word from every angle and writhed in the agony of paths untaken. They fretted about what others thought of them. Akira never understood regret until now. To her, it was always what's done is done. But now she felt it, the guilt that was like ice in her heart. It could be a hundred degrees out and she'd still be frozen on the inside. Being away from him for so long, you would think that his sway over her was gone. But every time she saw him, it was like she went into a trance, completely captivated by the man, and even when he was spoken ill of, Akira couldn't find it in her heart to let it slide. And she'd even used honourifics that she never used, even for the Hokage.

For the first time in a long time, Akira was conflicted. Half of her wanted to run to Sasuke and protect the only family she had left, run to Orochimaru and become more powerful, and demonstrate her power to the world. She wanted recognition for all the hard work, recognition that Lady Tsunade never seemed to want to give her. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to follow that path. Her love for her friends, for her village overcame any praise she could get from Orochimaru from the world. And that hurt her as well. Not one decision was purely good or purely bad. The greyness and ambiguity of both paths bothered Akira. Couldn't there be a right or wrong decision?

"Akira?"

The Uchiha's head snapped upwards. Isaribi was standing in front of her, looking stricken. She'd returned to her normal form. It seemed she'd overheard at least part of the conversation she had had with Orochimaru.

"How much of that did you hear?" she asked.

"All of it," the girl whispered. "Is that really what you're going to tell your team?"

"No. I will tell them the truth. Orochimaru needs to be stopped. Even so, I find it difficult to betray him. After all, he was the one who taught me most of what I know now."

"So? He's a monster!"

"As are you and I, but that does not mean anything. The real monstrosity is to ignore knowledge, and that is the only reason why I can bring myself to defend him I think. Because I hold knowledge in the highest regard. Not him."

"But the way he gets-"

"Knowledge is still knowledge independently of the way it was obtained," a voice said from the shadows. It was a rather vile looking man with green hair, who was looking at Akira with the greatest look of disdain she'd seen on anyone. "You're sitting in Lord Orochimaru's seat."

"What of it? He is gone. Sasuke, too."

"How do you know of the Uchiha boy!?"

"He is my brother."

"Ah, so you are also in possession of the Cursed Seal of Heaven," the man cackled.

"More like the Cursed Seal of Hell, if I am being honest. Do you want it, because I'd be glad to give it to you?" Akira said sarcastically.

"How dare you speak to me that way!? I am your superior, aiding Orochimaru in his experiments on this island for over ten years!"

"Fascinating, really. Though, what do you have to show for yourself? An incomplete experiment," Akira stated, gesturing to Isaribi, "and many more failed ones in the tanks of your laboratories?" Akira stood, clutching her old tachi in one hand, and slowly made her way towards the man, staring directly into his eyes. "And what has Lord Orochimaru accomplished? Anko Mitarashi. Kimimaro. The Sound Four. Sasuke Uchiha. Me." She stopped a foot away from him. "You are nothing compared to him."

Without so much as a warning, Akira swung her fist at the man and punched him directly in the jaw, sending him flying into the wall behind him. There was movement to her left, and Akira swung out one of her tachi without thinking. Akira's eyes widened and she lowered her tachi when Anko walked in. She frowned at the Uchiha's jumpy behaviour, but didn't seem surprised. After all, this was one of Orochimaru's lairs.

"Where is he? Where's Orochimaru, Amachi?" she called to the man.

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but he hasn't been here in over a month."

"So the pain I feel... Is coming from his presence over a month ago!?"

"No, Anko," Akira spoke up. "You just missed him... And Sasuke too."

Anko looked at Akira with a mixture of fear and anger.

"Did you see him!?"

"Yes."

"He escaped?"

"No. I let him go," Akira said, somewhat less confidently than she'd hoped.

"What!?"

"Be angry if you want, Anko... But I am sure you can remember what it is like to be under his influence."

Anko went to shout again, but the anger soon died down to be replaced with a solemn expression. But Anko's temper was volatile, and soon her anger returned. At lease, however, it was directed at Amachi.

"Where did he go!? Where are his other hideouts!?"

"Anko-sensei!" Naruto shouted, as he and Ino joined them against Amachi and Isaribi.

"Where's Shino?" Anko said, a little worried.

"He's fighting that glasses creep from last night," Ino said.

"Ahh, I see you brought Genin," Amachi said. "Anko, you're all grown up..."

"Who is that?" Naruto asked.

"Amachi. A Medical Ninja that partnered with Orochimaru and was running various experiments here." Anko glanced at Akira. "Orochimaru's not here. This is all his doing."

Akira frowned and stared at Anko, who nodded at her. Akira returned it, thankful that she hadn't vilified Akira immediately. At least this would give her the opportunity of explaining herself to the team later.

"Hey, you! How dare you run all these ridiculous experiments!?" Naruto yelled.

"Ridiculous!? I've devoted my life to this research!" Amachi shouted back. He pointed to Isaribi. "This one has the ability to adapt to water!"

"Yeah, I can do that, as well. No alterations needed," Akira said, narrowing her eyes at the man.

"A natural ability!?" Amachi shouted, disgustingly excited. "Please allow me to study you!"

"Over my dead body."

"But I could make Orochimaru regret abandon this research! I could control marine routes!"

"People aren't your tools!" Naruto growled.

"Oh my, you're so young, you don't understand the greatness of this research... Well, you're average guinea pigs who don't know any better, so I don't think I want you to understand anyway."

"Bastard!"

Naruto made a run for Amachi, fist ready for a punch, but Isaribi stood in front of him, blocking Naruto's path so that he came to a halt. She refused to move, which angered Akira, but she could understand why. She did the same thing with Orochimaru and Sasuke only a few hours prior.

"Why are you protecting him, Isaribi? He's the one that did this to you!"

"Yeah, but... it can't be helped. This is the only person who can return my body to normal! He promised! Look." She removed the bandages from her face and neck to reveal scales that were there permanently, regardless of her second form. "People are judged based solely on their appearance. People don't come near me from only these bandages... a monster with scales is out of the question. I want to return to my former body, I want to be human!"

"You're a human being even now, Isaribi," Naruto said, making Akira frown. "And yet you side with these guys, attacking ships? Isn't that far more like what a monster would do?"

"Stop it! Shut up! I don't want to hear it! Stop it! Are you bullying me, too!?" Isaribi screamed, frantically shaking her head.

"N-No! I'm the same as you! So is Akira!"

"You're lying! You're talking nonsense! You're normal human beings! I want to be just like you!"

Isaribi's outburst managed to distract everyone. No one sensed something happening behind them, and before they could properly react, an explosion floored everyone. Bits of stone flew everywhere and hit Akira's face, arms and legs, and she scraped her knees and hands as she fell to the ground.

"A bulls-eye letter bomb," she heard a voice say moments later. "Thanks to Isaribi doing a great job of getting your attention."

"I'll leave the rest to you," Amachi said, walking away. "Let's go, Isaribi."

Akira raised her head. Naruto and Ino were still conscious, but because of the pain Anko had been suffering this whole time, she was weakened and knocked out cold.

"Well, I'd better take care of you right, away."

The man grabbed Naruto by the collar and stretched his arms around him at least twice, beginning to strangle the life out of the boy. Akira looked over to Ino and she nodded, picking up on the Chūnin's unspoken plan. Moments later, Ino had the man trapped in her Mind Destruction Jutsu, taking over his body so that he was writhing in pain. She controlled his movements, making him stretch his arms and knot them to the pillars in the room, restricting any kind of movement. The small win wasn't celebrated for long, as the detonation had weakened the structure of the cave and the ceiling began to cave in.

"Ino, Naruto! Get Anko out of here! I need to go back and get something. Let's meet up at the entrance!"

"Right!"

Ino and Naruto grabbed Anko and rushed out of the collapsing room. Akira glanced at her old tachi on the ground, and cursed quietly as she grabbed them before rushing to Amachi's laboratory. She grabbed as many scrolls as she had empty pockets, and followed Naruto and Ino out to the entrance of the lair. But the entrance Ino, Naruto, Anko and Shino had come in through had caved in, forcing the team to lose themselves in corridors that had not yet collapsed. Shino joined them soon after, mostly unharmed, just as they came to a fork in the tunnel. They all paused a moment, before Ino shouted to go right, as there was a faint saltiness to the air in the direction. The rest of the team followed her, not daring to question her in this moment. However, most of the tunnel was blocked by rocks, the only hole through wasn't large enough for a person to fit through.

"I'll use my Rasengan to blast our way through!" Naruto called, stepping forward.

"No! Your Rasengan affects too big an area! It could make the cave collapse even more, like right above us!" Ino argued.

"Then what the hell should we do!?"

"Everyone, get back!" Akira called. The team did so. "Mi, Tora, Inu, U, Tatsu. Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!"

From the puff of smoke that appeared came a huge blue snake.

"Tunnel us through, Tatsuo."

The serpent nodded and opened its mouth. Naruto and Ino protested a bit, but Anko ended up pushing them into the mouth. The five ninja traveled in damp darkness for what seemed like a while. Akira steadied herself on Tatsuo's fangs as he twisted and tunneled his way through the rock. Eventually he opened his mouth a few feet from the edge of a cliff. Everyone climbed out, and Akira took the time to turn around and bow respectfully to the serpent, all the while jogging backwards to keep up with the others. Tatsuo bowed his head in return and then disappeared in a similar puff of smoke to the one he came in.

"It's already morning!" Ino gasped.

"The ships will need to depart any time now!" Anko said, annoyed. "We have to get to port!"

"There! That boat!" Naruto said, pointing to a small ship down below.

They all jumped down onto the shore and prepped the boat for departure. Akira stayed back and pushed the boat off the beach, and using her natural ability, she kicked the water to propel the boat further into the ocean. When the wind finally hit the sails, the boat took on some speed, so Akira continued on in the water, shooting her arms backwards to allow her feet to surf on the water. Ino made a noise that conveyed her amazement, but no one really heard it. All was concentrated ahead, one the absence of ships in the port of Mother Island. They'd already fallen into Amachi's trap.


	82. Team Up: Demon & Cursed Seal

Akira sped up, nearly doubling her surfing speed to catch up to wherever the boat had gone. Using more Chakra still hurt, which meant that Orochimaru was still close enough to affect her. She suspected he'd stayed behind to observe her growth and the growth of her abilities, but she didn't care. People's lives were in danger and she didn't have time to go looking for him, to make up for the stupidity she'd pulled earlier. Instead, she kept her eyes ahead until she spotted a giant fireball in the distance. Akira frowned. It hadn't erupted the way a fire Jutsu usually did, so Akira suspected it was Genjutsu. She was too far away to dispel it, but it eventually went away on its own. The closer she got, the more people she could see in the water. Eventually, she saw the man with glasses standing in the water, performing a whirlpool Jutsu to swallow up the men that had jumped into the water. Akira forced her body to go faster, and performed a Jutsu just after his own. Suddenly, a column of water shot up from underneath the man, stopping his Jutsu immediately. By that time, the boat had caught up and Shino threw a kunai into the man's arm, getting his attention. It seemed that his battle from earlier wasn't over. Ino then began pulling up people back into their boats, while Anko and Naruto joined Akira on the boat that Amachi and Isaribi were on. Akira jolted herself upwards with some water, and after a gentle twirl in midair she landed onto the deck with a loud thump.

"Don't be so nasty," Anko called. She looked at Amachi. "We meet again, weirdo! Excuse me, but I still have something to ask you."

"What are you doing, Isaribi!?" Naruto shouted at Isaribi, disregarding Anko. She was in her full amphibian form. "Cut it out already! Keep this up and you'll really turn into the Demon of the Ocean!"

"Do it, Isaribi!" Amachi shouted.

Just then, Isaribi run for Naruto. Akira slid in front of him and pushed him down, allowing herself to be hauled into the water by Isaribi. The two fought a little, Isaribi swiping her claws at Akira and the latter using daggers of water two cut Isaribi. Then Isaribi managed to land a kick to Akira which sent her upwards and out of the water. She took the opportunity to calm her Chakra usage and stay above water, reducing her use of her ability to keep oxygen in her lungs. Isaribi soon followed.

"Do you not understand what Naruto has been telling you!? Do you even care after tormenting people this much?"

"No." Akira's eyes narrowed. "I think nothing of it. Even bringing you down," Isaribi said. "It doesn't matter to me who gets injured, or who drowns, I'm satisfied as long as I can return to be human!"

"You do not think Naruto knows how you feel while he says those thing? You do not think that I know how that feels!?" Akira shouted. "You saw it yourself, I have Orochimaru's Curse Mark! Do you even know what that does to a person?" Akira didn't wait for a response. "And Naruto, well he has a literal demon inside of him! It is time you woke up, Isaribi. We know painfully enough how it feels! But doing what you are doing... it has to stop!

"You lied. You do care. You cared enough to save Naruto the other day! You have heart, so do not lie to my face and say that you do not. Because if you cannot see it, then there is no point in trying to save it, and I will not waste any effort to do so."

Isaribi seemed to calm almost immediately, and Akira thought that she'd gotten to her, but Amachi came over and disrupted the party.

"You're useless. How long do you think you'll be doing this?" Akira turned to face him. "She's just a kid, why can't you just finish her off, right away?"

"Sorry, but..."

"I can't take it anymore, get out of my way!" Amachi shouted.

"All right," Akira said. "I have no qualms in defeating you."

"You underestimate me. I'm not some half-monster like Isaribi."

All of a sudden, most of Amachi's clothes ripped to shreds, and out came fins and scales. But they covered every inch of his body, and his eyes nearly glowed a bright shade of red. Akira smirked, which seemed to confuse Amachi.

"And neither am I."

The small pain in her neck grew when she awakened Orochimaru's Chakra within herself. The flame-like markings bloomed bright orange from the source and slowly spread across her body, slowly turning white. She felt her muscles pull as her bones elongated. Her nails grew longer, as did her hair, and crystal-like protrusions came out of her head. When her eyes opened, the red of the Sharingan was there, glaring into Amachi's own red eyes. As Akira bared her sharp teeth, the reptilian brow ridges and nose rose with the crinkling of her face.

"I would say that I am the more refined specimen, yes?" Akira said, her voice low and hoarse.

"I'm impressed," Amachi said.

But that's all he said before he shot a jet of water at Isaribi, knocking her backwards, as he called her a useless experiment. Apparently, Amachi had no intention of returning her to the human form she desired. He was going to use her for spare parts in other experiments, but took pity on her, keeping her alive for that only reason.

"Wow, I did not think someone worse than Orochimaru existed in this world," Akira said, contemplatively. "Maybe that is why he left you behind. At least he cares about his experiments while he's still in contact with them... Sort of."

"You mean he's weak!"

"Yeah, sure, he is weak. Keep telling yourself that," Akira scoffed. "He totally cannot take you out in the blink of an eye."

"Enough talk!"

Akira turned, surprised, as Naruto arrived to the scene as well. He ran at him, and Akira didn't even have the heart to stop Naruto. He would learn the hard way that people like Amachi, creatures like Amachi, weren't to be dealt with so lightly. It barely took a swipe from Amachi for Naruto to pull back immediately, jumping backwards to bring back the distance between the two. Akira went to step in, take his place and finish off Amachi quite easily, but Naruto glared at her and performed the Shadow Clone Jutsu, creating five clones of himself. They all ran at the amphibious man, but Amachi spread out his arms and shot spine-like blades at them, dispelling all the clones and injuring Naruto. Akira frowned and pursed her lips, slowly returning to her normal form. She refused to stay that way by fear of it corrupting it more than it already had.

"You're not letting the Uchiha butt in? Are you all right, little guy? Gonna come at me again?" Amachi taunted.

"Yeah, of course. Until you change Isaribi back," Naruto said.

Naruto ran at Amachi again, but the latter repelled him with a cannon ball of water, sending him flying in the opposite direction. The boy ran at Amachi once again, this time managing to headbutt him. But this only aggravated Amachi and he swiped at Naruto again, throwing him across the water again and back beside where Isaribi landed earlier. He wasn't moving this time.

"Get him up," Akira barked at Isaribi. "It is my turn now. Until he wakes up."

Akira glanced wearily at Naruto before shifting back into the Cursed Seal form. If he kept this up, he'd drain all of his Chakra, and Akira wasn't sure she wanted a guest appearance from the Nine-Tailed Fox.

"Oh good, it was no fun playing with him," Amachi laughed, biting his finger. He swiped it in midair and slammed it to the ground. "But I still have to get rid of you both. Summoning Jutsu!"

Suddenly a large blob of water began to form at the surface of the ocean, and Amachi began shouting something about a sea monster. Akira frowned. Did she have a snake in her arsenal that wouldn't get offended at being summoned in water? She cursed under her breath, and rapidly performed hand signs. She bit her thumb and dragged it across her arm, centering the blood smear on the tattoo, and hoping that a proper summon came to help. She then smashed her hand onto the water. From beneath her came a charcoal coloured serpent who curled himself up in the water and raised its head so as to lift Akira out of the water. Its dark eyes looked up at the girl.

"Mizuka," it said simply, introducing itself.

"I apologize in advance if I have summoned you to the wrong terrain for your talents," Akira said politely. "I but I need someone to help me distract that thing."

The large blob had suddenly risen up out of the water, turning into some sort of sea monster, as he'd shouted about earlier. Mizuka merely nodded gently and allowed Akira to jump off its head before departing for the water monster. The girl made her towards Amachi instead, starting off easily: she flicked her wrists towards him and sent about a dozen daggers in his direction. He pulled up his arm and blocked them all with the sturdy scales on his body. Akira gritted her teeth just as she heard Mizuka hiss loudly. The giant blob of water had grown even more and managed to swallow up Naruto as well as half of Mizuka, whose tail was holding onto Naruto. Anko was trying to get to the blob with a kunai, but it obviously failed, simply bouncing back like extra-sturdy gelatin. Akira stared at Naruto, more specifically at his closing eyes. He was slowly losing consciousness.

"I have not even begun fighting, and you want to do that!? Release him or it will be the death of you," Akira shouting, knowing full well that if Naruto passed out, he'd likely awaken with the Nine-Tailed Fox's Chakra flowing through him. "You do not want him to lose consciousness! Fighting me in this state and him in another will not do you any good!"

"Why not? It's one less child to deal with!" Amachi cackled.

"Do not say that I did not warn you."

Akira concentrated her own Chakra and she shivered, but it wasn't her own Chakra that made her do so. Naruto had lost consciousness and was now waking up, a pulsating orange aura around him. His blue eyes were gone and his teeth were bared like an animal's, and soon he was standing beside Akira, the blob of water long gone. Akira dismissed Mizuka with a curt nod and stared at Naruto, a little frightened. His power was toe to toe with her own, now.

"What are these Chakras?"

"I told you that we were like you," Akira shouted back to Isaribi, who was staring almost stupefied at the people in front of her. She turned to Amachi. "And far from you. Neither of us asked for this power."

"Pft, you're monsters too. And you're acting like you're above me!?"

"It's because we are, you bastard!" Naruto shouted, furious.

"Take this!"

Amachi shot three balls of water at the two ninja with incredible speed, but Akira simply glided in front of Naruto and split the dense balls of water like butter with her ability, and the water that ended up touching Naruto simply evaporated on contact. He shot more, as if thinking it would do something, but Akira and Naruto simply ran forward, easily evading the balls of water. Akira shot Amachi upwards with a column of water and Naruto jumped up to kick him back down, then Akira kicked him off to the side and into a nearby rock sticking out of the water. The man fell limp into the water, and Akira didn't even bother to go check on him. With blows like that he was at the very least unconscious, if not dead.

Akira slowly returned back to normal and she wavered a little bit, collapsing to her knees from fatigue and a piercing headache. She'd been in that form for too long she suspected. She didn't even have enough energy to go get Naruto when he collapsed, but with one look at Isaribi, she knew he'd be fine. Seconds later, Isaribi jumped into the water to retrieve Naruto.

"I'm okay, Isaribi... Thanks," he muttered. "Great team up, Akira."

"Heh, you too, kid." Akira's head turned towards the rock. "Give me a minute."

Akira went to stand up, but she barely could. Anko came up to her and put a hand on her shoulder, lightly pushing her back down. She ran over to the rock where Amachi landed and shot snakes at what seemed like nothing, but soon enough Anko had reeled in Amachi.

"Hey look! I caught a really big fish!"


	83. Which is Worse?

Akira stood, but she nearly toppled over immediately, as the giant blob of water returned, but bigger. It was feeding off the ocean to recreate itself, which meant that it was actually a monster now, no longer a Jutsu controlled by Amachi. Akira looked over her shoulder: Ino, Shino and the sailors were all fine, standing on a nearby rock, safe. Anko, Naruto and Isaribi were standing beside her with Amachi tied up and on his knees before them. There was something about the man's face that Akira didn't like, and it wasn't just because he was unattractive.

"Maybe if you add heat, he'll evaporate?" Naruto said, unsure.

"The thoughts of fools mean nothing. All you can do now is surrender to me, the one who controls the ocean."

Akira gathered up the energy to slap him across the face, and he looked at her with rage filling his eyes. She glared at Amachi and got directly in his face, her midnight blue eyes peering darkly into his own. She spoke to him barely above a whisper, not enough for anyone else to hear her.

"I... am the one who controls the ocean, you insignificant bug."

Against every shred of common sense inside her, Akira slowly reverted back to her Curse Mark form, and she suddenly felt full of energy again.

"Akira!" Anko shouted.

But all she got was a blood red glared from Sharingan eyes. Akira darted towards the sea monster at speeds she usually never attained, and came to a brusque stop when she was mere feet away from the creature. It shot giant balls of water at her, but Akira avoided them all, nearly dancing around them as if it were a joke, and split one directly down the middle when it unexpectedly shot another ball of water while she was already avoiding one that was previously shot at her. She steadied herself by spreading her feet on the water and held out her arms, concentrating all that she had into moving that giant monster made of water. Her entire being soon began to shake, her legs sinking into the ocean and her muscles nearly bursting, and then the white aura that had surrounded her in the Forest of Death when she'd first gotten the mark. It rose around her and spread out in tendrils, too many to count, and Akira let out the loudest yell her vocal chords could tolerate, as the sheer power that she was wielding was almost unbearable for her body. She felt it tear through every vein of her Chakra network and seep through her skin before it was violently expelled out of her body. The pain was more intense than anything she'd felt before, a blinding, searing pain, and soon the white aura seeped into the water and crawled towards the sea monster, eventually embedding itself inside it. And then Akira spread her arms wide, spreading every particle of water apart from each other. The beads of water sparkled in the sunlight for a moment before fizzling out into mist and disappearing into the ocean air.

Akira lowered her arms and reverted back to her original form. She smiled, proud of herself. But as expected, the second she did, she collapsed, slowly sinking down to the bottom of the ocean, unconscious and completely forgetting the feeling of being watched.

Akira's limbs flexed in shock. There was a liquid in them, around her entire body too. Tubes ran up each nostril and all that meets my skin is the warm glass that surrounds. There was binding on her limbs and around her neck. Without a conscious thought, a choice, Akira's body does what any must to survive: every muscle was stronger than it should ever have been and there was no mental restraint on the force she could use - snapped bones were preferable to death. In this way her captors had underestimated her strength. The liquid rushed out of the newly shattered glass and Akira rolled out, bindings in place but their anchor points free. Akira went to stand but her legs gave way to gravity, shaky and weak. Bile rose up to her mouth, and the retching went on for so long she lost track of time and then she realized what the stench was. This wasn't water at all, it was preservative of some kind. Akira blinked, blurriness fading, surroundings more crisp. The coldness of the air was more apparent, stealing the warmth given to me by the foul concoction that had swept over the grey floor. She wanted to use all her senses, get a feel for whatever this was, but the foul odour dominated the air and the chill froze her skin and the little brain power I could muster. Then all of a sudden excruciating pain bloomed in her shoulder and her body hit the floor once again. Akira writhed in pain, returning to something fetal on the ground, and screaming. It echoed in the empty room, suddenly sounding distant and then completely non-existent until...

Akira woke with a loud scream. It was like she was still hooked up the mains. No sleepiness, no slow warming up. Within seconds of realizing she was unconscious Akira was on her feet, eyes wide, dreams far from forgotten. The weakness in her legs was still there, and she collapsed to the ground again, drinking in the feedback of all her senses. Aside from her own noisy breathing there was nothing much to be heard other than the quiet chatter of persons unknown and the pounding headache in her head. After a minute or two the harsh sound of beeping machines reach her ears. Akira was in the hospital.

Quick footsteps soon reached her ears, echoing in her head and aggravating her headache. She put her palms to the side of her head, pushing down in an attempt to subdue the pain, but to no avail. And then people started shouting.

"Miss Uchiha, are you all right!?"

"What's wrong!?"

"We need you to calm down!"

Akira gripped her hair, pulling on her head, the pain hammering in her skull more and more as people entered the room. It was like her head was about to crack open. She was blinded with flashing colorful spots and craved darkness, quiet and stillness. When she stood, someone made the mistake of touching her. Benign as the gesture was, it set her off. In mere moments, one of Akira's hands whipped out to push them away, and they went flying. However, in her moment of anger, fear and pain, Akira sent all sources of water with the person, unwillingly sharpening them as well. The second her Chakra was used, the terrifying pain of the Curse Mark returned.

"Get out!" she shouted. "Get out!"

"Miss Uchiha-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Akira collapsed again as another wave of pain hit her in the shoulder. She let out a blood curdling scream and clutched her shoulder, nails digging into her skin as if to claw out the pain herself. More footsteps approached and then more hands than before attempted to grab her, though this time they were stronger. Her hand was ripped away from her shoulder, beads of blood beginning to rise out of her skin, and the other was pried away from her head - both were held behind her back with extreme force. Akira thrashed about and tried to fight them. She didn't exactly know why she was resisting, but something in her mind perceived these people as a threat. She knocked someone away from her and tried to slash her nails at someone's face, but a hand stopped her. This person was stronger. Akira looked over, and through her rage and fear and pain, she saw Lady Tsunade staring down at her.

"Calm down," she said calmly, but still sternly.

"You did this!" Akira shouted. "You knew! YOU KNEW HE'D BE THERE!"

Akira's entire body froze, save her head that suddenly turned sideways. The sting of Tsunade striking her across the face came moments after.

"You're Akira Uchiha. Calm down and show some decency."

Akira glared at Tsunade and growled, almost like an animal. Her heaving chest slowly calmed, however, and soon Akira didn't need to be restrained by half a dozen Medical-nin. She pulled her limbs away from them and walked back to her bed with great difficulty, the pain in her head and shoulder far from being subsided. Tsunade nodded towards the Medical-nin and they all left the room.

"Let me give you a once over."

Akira glared at Tsunade for a moment, but she relented, moving her hair away from her Curse Mark for the Hokage to examine. Tsunade checked her head first, then the Curse Mark, and then she asked Akira to lie down so that her Chakra network could be checked. The Hokage's eyebrows furrowed.

"You need rest."

"I could have worked that out myself," Akira snapped.

"You need to actually stay, this time," Tsunade growled. "You've pushed your body to its limit, Akira. If you exert yourself any more, it'll kill you."

"I doubt it. I am too stubborn to die."

"Akira! Listen to me!" Lady Tsunade shouted. "Do you know what'll happen if you use that thing too much? Your mind will corrode. The seal will eat away at your brain until you go crazy or so docile that Orochimaru can play with you like he would a puppet."

"I can control it," Akira muttered, bringing her knees to her chest.

"Just because you can turn it on and off doesn't mean that you lessen what it does to your body. Whether you like it or not, if you keep using that thing on your neck too much, you're gonna end up dead or serving Orochimaru."

"It cannot be all that bad..."

Tsunade gave a look that mixed fear and confusion.

"I meant the serving Orochimaru part... which does not really sound better to you, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Tsunade said sternly. "I've already been holding back missions from you, don't make yourself more of a flight risk in my eyes!"

"So you will not send me on missions with people I do not know, but you will send me to one of Orochimaru's old laboratories when you know that it could trigger this Curse Mark?"

"I sent you there to keep Anko on track."

"Anko did not need my help and you know it. She is a fully capable Shinobi. In fact, I think she did a way better job at controlling herself than I. You wanted to draw him out, did you not?"

"And what if I did?"

"Then I would tell you that you sent me there for nothing. He escaped."

"Did he?"

Akira glared at Tsunade, and they held that position for a long time, challenging each other. It wasn't completely false, what she had said. Orochimaru had indeed escaped, and if Anko hadn't mentioned anything, then Akira wouldn't tell Tsunade that it was her fault that Orochimaru got away. Akira glanced sideways, eyebrows knitting for a split-second. She considered the fact that the prolonged use of the Curse Mark was making her think this way. But her pride wasn't letting her use the Curse Mark as a cop-out for her own actions. Akira didn't know what was worse: willingly letting him go or being too weak to resist it.


	84. Our Dear Hokage

Weeks. Weeks since Akira had been allowed to get out of bed. For once she'd listened to her doctor's recommendation, but she'd been resting for so long it felt as if her body was going numb. The only time Akira was allowed to move was when a Medical-nin was there to supervise while she did some physiotherapy to make sure her muscles didn't atrophy from the excessive stillness of her body. Akira breathed boredom. Time flowed like cement in this room. She checked the clock for the time. A minute had passed since she last checked an hour ago, or so it seemed. Sitting there with nothing to stare at but a wall with chipped cream paint was excruciatingly dull and there was no telling when one of her friends would come visit to pass the time, or if they ever would. So far, Kai hadn't come to visit. Shikamaru told her that he was still out on that mission, which was starting to worry her considering he'd left before Akira went to the Land of Sea. The Nara was the one who visited the most other than Kiba. Sometimes they'd visit together and it would almost be like old times again. Naruto came once in a while, but he was too busy goofing off or searching for Jiraya to be bothered to come see her, and Sakura was so busy with her training that she only came to visit with Tsunade and it was only because it was part of said training.

It was so pointless to be in the hospital too. After about a week, Akira felt fine. The mind numbing pain from her Curse Mark and the headache had disappeared as if it had never happened in the first place, but Tsunade and other Medical-nin refused to let her leave until they were satisfied with... something. They didn't tell her what they were waiting for, just that they were waiting until Akira was completely recovered. That would never happen. Complete recovery concerned her mind too, and it was clear that that wasn't going to be resolved quickly, if ever. Visions of Sasuke and Orochimaru returned to plague her during her dreams, or in this case, nightmares, and they woke her up at odd hours of the night and prevented her from falling back asleep. Sometimes Akira would wake up and feel like she could hear him talk outside in the hallway, but every time she checked she was only met with the discouraging darkness of the hospital hallway. Today was no different, except for the fact there was someone talking outside her door.

"Kakashi..." the girl breathed.

"Akira, you're supposed to be in bed."

"Shut up, Tsuchi. It is not a crime to stand."

"I'm going to get the others."

"Dear God! Fine! I will return to my bed!"

Akira stormed back into her room and dropped herself onto her bed. A few moments later Kakashi had managed to convince Tsuchi to leave and closed the door behind him before wandering inside Akira's room. He hovered by the window a few moments, looking down at all the cards and small gifts the girl's friends had given her during her recovery process.

"I hope I'm not the one who woke you," he said as more of a question.

"No, you are not," Akira said simply, sitting up. "I do not sleep much these days."

Akira didn't have to explain for Kakashi to understand.

"What are you doing here so early? The sun has barely risen."

"Came to check up on you. Surprised you're still here and haven't ran off yet," Kakashi chuckled, sitting at the edge of her bed.

"I do not feel like incurring the wrath of Tsunade again," Akira sighed. "Besides, I am waiting for them to tell me what it is they are waiting for to tell me I am fully recovered."

"Yeah, Tsuchi was just telling me. They're waiting for your mental state to improve."

Akira scoffed and stood up, heading to the small wardrobe at the end of the bed and fishing out her clothes. Kakashi laughed quietly and shook his head. The girl headed to the bathroom and changed into her clothes, coming out with her hair done up as well, Leaf bandanna tied loosely around her waist.

"If they are expecting me to improve mentally, then they are delusional," Akira said, stuffing her remaining belonging into her bag, including the cards and gifts from her friends. "I have never been okay, they cannot expect me to magically recover years of damage."

"They were just hoping your most recent nightmares would stop."

Akira made a pained face and recalled the bright yellow eyes of her former teacher.

"Yeah... I doubt that will happen too." Akira shook her head and straightened out. "Are you coming with me, or were you just popping by?"

"Whatever you want."

"What I want is for people to give me a straight answer," Akira grunted, as she opened the window. It was harder than before. Her recovery time had weakened her more than strengthened her. "So, you coming or not?"

"Looks like you need some training," Kakashi smiled.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

Akira rolled her eyes and jumped out the window, swaying a bit when she landed. She needed good food, too. Moments later, Kakashi dropped down beside her, and they calmly waled back to the Uchiha compound. By the time they'd reached it, the sun had fully risen, and it was starting to dry the dew on Akira's garden. It was a bit overgrown, which meant that after breakfast, her first training task was to get used to physical labour again.

"Any requests?" Akira asked as she walked into the kitchen. "Unless you have eaten already, in which case I will ignore your request. I could eat anything, really. Hospital food is really depressing."

"Anything it is, then," Kakashi said, leaning against the counter.

"Good. Make yourself useful and cook some rice, will you?" the girl said, dropping a large bag of uncooked rice on the counter. "Rice cooker is beside the fridge."

"All right," Kakashi said, sounding a little confused.

Akira pulled out some vegetables, miso and dashi out of the fridge and began prepping, humming to herself as she went. Kakashi came back moments later and nodded to the rice cooker when Akira stared at him, wondering what the hell he was doing.

"It's started. Can't do anything until then."

"Oh, you will," Akira said airily. "Do you know how to prep and cook fish?"

"Yes?"

"Excellent. There is saury in the fridge. Cook it the way you want it. Knives are in in the block on the counter, cutting boards are in the cupboard beside the sink with the pans."

"So demanding."

"Suck it up or starve, Hatake."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, but smiled discretely, and began prepping the fish while Akira dealt with the rest. Five minutes before everything was done Akira started a pot of jasmine tea, and by the time everything was ready, so was the tea.

"You know, I don't think I've ever tried your cooking."

"You have not. Every time you come here you content yourself with some tea," Akira said, bringing all the food to the dining table. "Do not worry, though. Sasuke, Kiba, Kai and Shikamaru have been eating my food for years now and they have not yet died from it."

"Have they been violently sick, though?"

"Tsk, you ass."

The two spent the next half hour eating in silence, the first bit of silence that didn't want to make Akira blow her brains out in a long time. Clean up was done haphazardly since Akira decided she'd do it later, and she went to change in some clothes that were made to get dirty and proceeded to gardening. She kicked off her shoes and sat down cross-legged in front of the Camellia flowers, pulled all of her hair back and began pulling weeds. Kakashi sat down beside her, staring down at the pond.

"Food was edible."

"I told you that you would not die - or be sick."

"You weren't going to train?"

"You saw how I handled that window, earlier," Akira sighed. "I will re-accustom my body to physical labour first. Besides, I enjoy gardening."

"I thought you hated your old kunoichi classes," Kakashi stated, looking at the girl.

"It is not that I did not like them, but I always wanted to go throw shuriken with my brother instead. But I was good at them, and I suppose my appreciation grew over time. I used to garden with my mother."

"Hm. You don't seem like the gardening type."

"And you don't look like the domestic type." Kakashi frowned. "You are not a bad cook, Kakashi Hatake. I thought you would be the type to eat out all the time."

"I have better things to spend my money on."

"Like what? Those stupid books?" Akira laughed.

"Amongst other things."

Kakashi quietly observed Akira as she pulled weeds and trimmed certain plants. It took a few hours before her entire garden was looking like it should, and then Akira cleaned out the algae from the pond and fed the koi.

"You might want to get under the veranda."

Kakashi frowned, confused, but didn't question the girl as he stood under the cover of the veranda. Akira performed a few handsigns and shot a large ball of water towards the sky, then used her ability to disperse it so finely that it was like it was raining over the compound. One of her hands remained upwards, acting as an umbrella. When the 'rain' stopped, she lowered her hand and turned back to Kakashi.

"Fast and effective way to water the garden," she said with a small shrug. "We can train now."

"You don't want to get all that dirt off you?" Kakashi asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"A little dirt will not hurt me."

In standing, Akira brushed her hands on her shorts to remove most of the dirt but that was the extent of her cleaning. She picked up her shoes and walked over to the training area on the compound, twirling around and rising her shoes up to her face when Kakashi unexpectedly threw a kunai at her. She looked at her pierced shoes then at Kakashi.

"Just checking to see if your guard was up."

"Of course it is. It is all the time. You should know this by now," Akira sighed. "You made me sacrifice these shoes."

"Just buy some more," Kakashi shrugged.

"Just buy some- Kakashi!"

Akira grabbed the kunai in her shoe and flicked it off, throwing the kunai at the man a split second later. He dodged it easily, which made Akira all the more frustrated. She pulled out half a dozen kunai and tossed them towards Kakashi, three in each hand, and he didn't even have to move to dodge those, but that made Akira smile. Her fists suddenly clenched and she swiftly crossed her arms, pulling the kunai backwards and aiming to wrap around Kakashi. He jumped out of the way just in time and threw more kunai at Akira, but she dodged those and pulled out one of her Katana. She propelled herself towards Kakashi, sword ready to swipe at him. As the blade came down on Kakashi, he pulled out his Tantō and blocked it, pushing her back with his own blade. Akira went backwards and landed, but she slid and fell to her knees, scraping them until she stopped moving backwards.

"This is not supposed to be this hard," Akira groaned, staring at her bloodied knees. "I am never staying in the hospital this long ever again."

"Tired, yet?" Kakashi smirked.

"Not a chance, old man."

Akira discarded her Katana, planting it into the ground, and dashed towards Kakashi.

"You're definitely not going to win at hand-to-hand."

Akira growled and doubled her speed by sending Chakra to her feet. Then she propelled herself and aimed a kick at Kakashi's head. He blocked it by grabbing her leg and spinning her away. Akira landed on all fours and launched herself back at Kakashi, swiping her fist at his face. This one he missed, and his head turned sideways at the impact.

"Finally," Akira panted. She was already beginning to get tired.

Kakashi came back at her, and they exchanged a few punches, all of which were blocked. Then Akira ducked out of nowhere and punched Kakashi in the gut, making him bend forward. She kicked him backwards, sending him flying... or so she thought. Kakashi planted his Tantō into the ground and almost spun on it, sending a rounding kick at Akira. She wasn't able to dodge it, and went flying instead of Kakashi. Akira didn't even bother trying to stop herself, instead letting her body sag and skid across the ground. When she was finally still, Akira broke into an almost delirious laughter.

"I never thought getting beat up could feel so great."

"Um... Are you okay?" Kakashi said, hovering over the girl.

"Everything hurts, but that is all right. This is the most fun I have had in three weeks."

"That's kind of sad."

"Hey, blame Tsunade for keeping me cooped up. And you know what?" Akira said, sitting up. "I think it is time I have a talk with our dear Hokage."


	85. Captivating

"You know, I really think it's a bad idea."

"Kakashi, I am going to Tsunade whether you approve or not."

Akira hadn't even wasted any time showering off the dirt, dust and sweat off of herself before going off to the Hokage's office. She hadn't even taken the time to grab another pair of shoes, simply walking barefooted on the roofs of Konoha, a shortcut to the Academy. If she had debated this any longer, or done something else before coming, she wouldn't have come at all. Akira had been debating this for a long time now, and now that someone had witnessed her say something about it, there was no way she could stall anymore.

"Okay, but you're probably gonna get into more trouble than if you don't."

"Either that, or she will finally get it into her thick skull that I am not going to run off after Sasuke."

"That's why she's holding you back?" Kakashi asked, seemingly surprised.

"Yes. She thinks that I am a flight risk."

Akira didn't even take the time to say hello to Naruto as he exited the Hokage's office, or take notice at the fact that Kakashi had remained on the roof of the office, listening in on whatever conversation was about to happen. The girl simply barged into Tsunade's office and stood there until the woman acknowledged her presence. It didn't take long.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?" Tsunade growled.

"No. Because physically speaking, I am more than recovered. Three weeks of 'recovery' has weakened me, so I was out training."

"You were out training!?"

"Yes. I left because there was no point in me being there. I needed to move, to train, to strengthen my weakened muscles."

"Did you even think as to why you were still in there?"

"I did not need to. Kakashi told me that you were waiting for my mental state to get better." Akira scoffed. "You know that that will never happen."

"One can hope," Tsunade said plainly.

"Lady Tsunade, I have been having these nightmares for years! You cannot erase years of trauma just by having someone stare at a blank wall for three weeks straight!"

"It doesn't change the fact that you disobeyed an order and walked out of that hospital!"

"I do not disobey an order unless it is a stupid order, Lady Tsunade. And considering that the order for me to remain in the hospital was both pointless and stupid, I elected to leave and focus on my training."

Tsunade slammed her hands onto the table.

"You don't need training! You need rest!"

"What I need is for you to stop holding me back for stupid reasons!" Akira shouted.

"You know very well my reasons aren't stupid!"

"You think I am a flight risk, that I am going to go off and try to find Sasuke, but I am not! Sasuke is with Orochimaru, and I would be a fool to think that I could take him on. That is why I am focusing on this training you think I do not need. So that in three years, when Sasuke is actually in danger, I will be able to go fight him and bring back Sasuke. Until then, I have no reason to leave the village!"

"Of course you do."

"What are you talking about? What reason could I possibly have to go chasing after Orochimaru!?"

"Knowledge."

The fact that Tsunade uttered those words caught Akira off-guard. The pursuit of knowledge was something that Akira was known for, learning new Jutsu or techniques whenever she could. But did Tsunade really think she'd leave her village behind for it?

"Curiosity, perhaps. Or maybe just because you respect him."

"You think I would abandon my friends and my village just for him?" Akira asked, a little insulted. "I would abandon my friends and my village to protect the people I love, and for no other reason, Lady Tsunade."

"And do you not love Sasuke?" Tsunade asked. "Or do you know something that I don't?"

Akira didn't know how she didn't see that coming. Tsunade had already attempted to question her about what had actually happened in the Land of Sea, Akira didn't know what made her think the Hokage wouldn't do it again. It angered the girl that Tsunade had gotten the upper hand.

"Of course I love Sasuke. How could I not? But I also love Itachi, and you do not see me running after him, do you?" Akira replied, hoping to reduce suspicion. "Look, if either of them wanted to be found right now, they would let me know. And then you would know, because I would ask for an entire team to go with me, and not go solo like an idiot. I am not Naruto.

"Look, all that I ask is you stop holding me back. I am never going to learn anything or get stronger by the time the three year deadline comes around. And you know that I need to be stronger."

"How can you expect me to send you on more important missions when you're lying to my face like this!?" Tsunade shouted. "Anko told me everything!"

"Really? What did she tell you?" Akira asked, wondering if Tsunade was bluffing.

"Tsk... Nothing. She wanted it to come from you. You know, I hate that you two are keeping something from me. I don't care if you two understand each other, something happened in the Land of Sea and I won't stop holding you back until you tell me exact-"

"He was there!"

Tsunade blinked at the loudness of the girl's statement, and sat back down once the information sunk in. Akira didn't what had gotten into her, but the words just came out of her mouth effortlessly. The glare on Tsunade's face made Akira feel so small for the first time in a long time. She bowed deeply, ashamed.

"He was there..."

"And he escaped?"

"No," Akira breathed. "I let him go."

"YOU WHAT!?"

Akira made a pained face, though Tsunade never saw it. Instead, Akira rose with her hands behind her back and face stern, hiding the shame she felt and the tears she could feel prickling at her eyes. Tsunade was livid, face red with her hands slammed against her desk. Akira had heard from Naruto that her anger was legendary.

"You just let him go!? Decided it was fine that a world-renowned criminal was let off without a scratch!?"

"I did not just let him go!" Akira shouted back.

"Right, sure! He made you allow him to leave, right? Convinced you to let him go!?"

Akira glanced sideways and Tsunade growled loudly.

"Of course he did!"

"YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!" Akira bellowed, throat burning.

"OH REALLY!? THEN TELL ME!"

"You said so yourself... The Curse Mark erodes the mind. Makes you suggestible to anything, especially him."

"That's nice," Tsunade said sarcastically," but last time I checked your mind wasn't eroded that much!"

"No. No it is not. I just... I do not know how to explain this without sounding like I am in love."

"What?" Tsunade said, frowning.

"I first met him properly before the second part of the Chūnin exams, under the guise of the Jōnin leading the Sound Ninja. At the time, I did not yet have the Curse Mark. He did not do anything, simply gave me some tips for Tai Chi and told me that if I ever needed help with anything, that I should return there and wait. That he would find me." Akira sighed. "And it will sound incredibly odd or disgusting, or both honestly, but the second that I laid eyes on him... I was captivated. It was like he belonged there, in the dark, the moon shining down on his already pale face..." Akira cleared her throat and shook her head, awkwardly snapping herself out of the memory.

"I knew that he was not to be trusted. He was on the opposing team, and the Sound Ninja had not exactly been the friendliest of people. Then the second part of the exam happened and I received the Curse Mark. It took over me, and I lost it. I broke someone's arms and nearly killed someone else. Simply sealing it did not seem like enough to me. I felt that if I did not take control over it, then it would consume me, and who better to help me with that than Orochimaru himself? Of course, I had no way of going to Orochimaru, and I do not think that I wanted to, but I could not ask Kakashi for help as he had sealed the Curse Mark only a few hours prior. Who was next, then, on my list of people to ask for help?

"Like I told Sakura that day, I live and thrive in the grey area. If I could use this Curse for a good cause, how much harm could it do? But then I passed out during the preliminaries and I woke up in the hospital. Obviously I did not plan on staying, but I planned on going home initially... until something on my table told me to go to training ground three."

"What was it?" Tsunade asked.

"A gourd. This gourd," Akira said, taking the gourd off her back and placing it on Tsunade's desk. "It is simply a gourd, do not worry. It is filled with water, much like Gaara's gourd is filled with sand. You see, I apparently have this innate ability to manipulate water just like Gaara can manipulate sand. I found this out on my first ever mission.

"Anyway, the gourd told me to return to training ground three. And I waited. I waited for hours - or at least until the sun had set. Then he came, and once again I was taken aback at how... unnatural he looked - ethereal almost." Akira took a deep breath and sat down on a nearby chair. "I asked him to help me. To help me do more than just control the Mark, but use it. Help me prove that I could take this negative and turn it into some sort of grey-area positive.

"In the end he helped me use my innate ability better, taught me to fight using Tai Chi and to have my movements flow like the water I was akin to, he taught me new Jutsu, and most of all he taught me how to control the Mark, to use it, to stop the pain it caused me. I learned how to summon the serpents of the Ryūchi Cave and I managed to earn their respect.

"During the day I would train with Kakashi and we would develop the Jutsu that I already knew and learn others from different nature transformations - Earth and Lightning especially. Kakashi has an aptitude for those. And then most of my nights were spent in the cover of the trees in training ground three, learning Fire-style Jutsu and his own creations. I learned to summon snakes from my arms, my mouth even. He taught me deadly techniques that he told me never to use unless I had to and for a while it seemed like he was just..."

Akira sighed, a memory suddenly surfacing to the front of her mind. She dropped her head onto the palm of her hand and looked out the window, seemingly dejected.

 _They moved in sync, both bodies moving slowly to the surrounding noises of the night. They breathed in sync, feet spread apart at the same distance as their shoulders, arms slowly moving downwards to their abdomens. The entirety of their bodies were relaxed, flowing like the air surrounding them, like the water flowing beside them. Their arms slowly swayed towards the left and their left leg rose simultaneously, then they swayed on their other leg, turning on the spot, and extended the raised leg, gently dropping it a ways away to put themselves lower to the ground in a lunge. Slowly, but in a powerful way, they both punched the air, displacing a small amount of Chakra. They rose again in a turn and kicked with their right legs, landed and pushed the air with both of their hands before returning to their original position and breathing calmly until their body released all tension._

 _Akira smiled and turned to her partner. Orochimaru smiled back, a seemingly genuine smile, and placed his hand on the girl's shoulder, squeezing it gently._

Akira looked back at Tsunade, coming back to reality.

"He was just... a teacher."

"So what made you let him go?"

"The same thing. Do not get me wrong, I was terrified. I could not stop shaking, my palms were sweating... but even then, I could not escape being captivated by him. It was like my mind shut down and all that was there was he and I, and it was like old times where he would ask me to report on my progress, where we would practise Tai Chi together, completely in sync. He asked me about my training, about how many people I had killed and... and I answered like nothing was wrong. Being so close to him I... I froze, complied like a - a good little girl. I did not even have the nerve to move away from his when he..." Akira cut herself off, eyes gazing into nothingness as she played with the strands of hair he had played with. "I only snapped out of it when Sasuke appeared."

"Sasuke was there too?"

"Yes. He was unharmed, but... he clearly did not want my help." Akira sighed. "When Anko and the others were gaining on the island, he told me he had to leave... but he asked me if I wanted to come with him. You have no idea how tempted I was... to return to a man I respected, to my brother... but I did not. I thought of Kakashi, of Kiba and Shikamaru, and I could not bring myself to leave them behind. He asked me if I was going to stop him... I should have - I told him that I should. But I did not have the heart to stop him, so I let him go..."

Akira stood and bowed to Tsunade again.

"I am truly sorry, Lady Tsunade. I would have stopped him was I able."

"Anko did tell me that it was hard to resist him..." Tsunade sighed. "I'm going to be way too easy on you, right now... because in any other case you would be fired and arrested for harbouring a criminal. But this is your one chance, Akira. You'll start regular missions next week, but if I get even a whiff of something - you're done. Understood?"

"You know that that is way too kind for you," Akira said in rising. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I know what charm you're talking about. Even when we were young he had it, though I always thought he was more disturbing than captivating," Tsunade said. "He did have a way with words, though. So I might not know what you're going through, but I understand what you're saying. I suppose its worse when you have his Chakra running through your veins. But also because I don't believe that your dream of running the Military Police Should be crushed in an instant, and definitely not by me. I don't think I could live with myself."

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade."


	86. Knowing Your Weaknesses

_"I'm giving you one last easy mission before you move on to the proper missions I promised you, Akira. At the request of a friend of mine, I'm asking you to lead Hinata, Kiba and Naruto on a treasure hunt."_

 _"A treasure hunt?"_

 _"Yes. Here is the map and the location of the treasure. It seems a treasure worth several hundred million ryo is buried there."_

 _"Several hundred million ryo... that is more than I am worth..." Akira muttered under her breath. "But it is on the map. Is it really worth sending out four Shinobi? Why not go himself?"_

 _"The treasure is in a place far too difficult for ordinary people to get to," Tsunade explained. "The client tried to get there himself but he was unable."_

 _"So it is the Shinobi's turn, then."_

 _"The deadline is in three days. If you succeed, there will be a special reward from the client. Gather your team and set out with caution, Akira."_

 _"You are not going to gather them here and give them the mission yourself?" Akira asked, grabbing the map and other necessary documents._

 _"No. This mission is too dimwittingly simple for that. If you don't manage this, I'll have no choice to return you and your team to the Academy."_

 _"You are serious?"_

 _"Painfully."_

"WHAT!? IS THAT WHAT SHE SAID!?"

Akira had collected Naruto, Kiba and Hinata and brought them to Konoha's main gate to explain the mission to them. She'd made sure that, regardless of the simplicity of the mission, they were all stocked up for a worst-case scenario. With Naruto around, something was sure to go wrong - it always did. But this time there was more at stake. Not only was Akira already on the fence with Tsunade about her transgressions involving Orochimaru, but it was also a possibility that she would be forced to re-enroll in the Academy if Naruto, or anyone, caused this mission to fail. Needless to say the tension was high.

"It'll be fine, believe it! We won't go back to the Academy for a stupid treasure hunt!" Naruto said confidently, though he clearly looked worried.

"Yeah, if you don't drag us down," Kiba said, deadpan.

"What!? Don't you be dragging us down!"

"Idiots! Quit blaming each other!" Akira shouted, flicking both boys on the forehead. "Come. We will make this mission a success."

"And then we can put Grandma Tsunade to shame!" Naruto cheered, suddenly determined.

"And I'll have no part of going back to the Academy on account of associating with you," Kiba barked.

"The failure we will suffer will be a collective responsibility, Kiba," Akira sighed. "It is not just Naruto's fault."

"I don't know about that. The success rate of our team without him in it is really high."

"Then I'll prove on this mission who it is that really brings us down!" Naruto shouted.

"Fine," Akira conceded. She began walking away pulling Hinata away from the two boys. "Just as long as the mission is a success. Come on, there is a time limit after all."

"I wonder if that'll be okay..." Hinata said, worried.

"Yeah, who knows. I am simply hoping to get this mission done and over with."

Hinata, Kiba, Naruto and Akira followed the dirt path, not exchanging many words between each other. Hinata eventually fell back with Naruto, and Kiba jumped to the front to pass the time with Akira. Their training was the main topic of conversation for the most part, the missions they'd had as well. Kiba eventually asked about why Akira wasn't doing any Chūnin-level missions, and she decided to leave it at the fact Tsunade was holding her back by fear of her being a flight risk. That made Kiba laugh really loud. Akira liked his laugh.

Soon the four ninja had arrived at a dead end, and checked the map to see where they had to go. Kiba wanted to go one way and Naruto wanted to go another, so they both ran off in their own directions and made a race out of it. Akira made Hinata follow Naruto and she followed Kiba. It would have been better not to split up, but as long as they made it to their rendez-vous point it didn't really matter. Of course, Kiba and Akira arrived first, crossing the river instead of going up the cliff and around the river. They took the time to make lunch and it was ready by the time Naruto and Hinata came rolling around, looking tired and beaten up by god knows what.

"So you finally made it, huh?" Kiba laughed. "You were so late that Kira and I had time to make some food for us."

And it was the same thing at least three other times. Naruto would rush off somewhere and Kiba in another direction, and the latter would always end up getting to their destination first. Akira didn't know why Naruto was so insistant on going his own way when Kiba and Akamaru trained in forests like these for hours on end - it was almost a hobby to them at this point. For now though, Akira had managed to convince everyone to follow her through the trees and so far it was going well. Of course, Kiba had to point out that he was better than Naruto, and then Naruto had to counter with an argument that equally as stupid as it was false. However, there was something that pulled Hinata away from their bickering, and Akira intended to find out what it was. It seemed like she wanted to use her Byakugan, but when Naruto and Kiba's complaints became louder, she turned back and separated them. Akira kept her eyes fixed on the place Hinata was looking at. She couldn't see anything, but Akira had a feeling they were being followed. Maybe this mission wasn't going to be as simple as Tsunade said it would be.

Akira jumped up into the cover of the trees and very quickly performed the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and it was the clone that landed down with the others and not the real deal. Akira watched herself and her team return to the task at hand. Akamaru sniffed the Clone and barked something at Kiba, which only made the boy nod. Hopefully Akamaru had told him the right thing. Akira then held her breath for as long as she could, way past the time where Kiba, Hinata, Naruto and her clone were out of sight, and only released her breath when the near transparent figures she spotted were a little ways ahead. The Uchiha blinked slowly to awaken her Sharingan and observed the figures in silence. To Akira's surprise, when the figures passed, a man she recognised came into view. Akira pulled out the documents she'd taken from Tsunade and identified the man as Agari Kaisen, the client they were doing this mission for.

"What the..."

Akira shook her head and blinked, returning her eyes to their normal shade of blue. The technique they were using was a special one, unique to their clan, and Akira couldn't hope to copy it by simply observing its effects, though it did give her enough valuable information to tell her what it could be used for. The figures were blank slates, devoid of any sort of physical attributes. By some form of Jutsu or technique, Akira suspected they were able to take on anyone's appearance. But then how good was the transformation. Akamaru couldn't hear or smell them so far, so maybe this was... a technique which use was designed for this mission? Akira cursed under breath. What was Tsunade up to?

Akira performed a few handsigns, bit her thumb and dragged the blood along her tattooed arm before pressing her palm to the tree branch. A small snake came out of the puff of smoke, and Akira instructed it to follow the figures while she hung back at a safe distance, just behind Agari. About an hour later, the small snake returned with the information Akira needed. The figures had somehow sprouted masks, and they had taken Hinata's, Kiba's and Naruto's identities, fooling even Akamaru's nose, though they hadn't been able to clone Akira's clone, which disappeared when the Jutsu was attempted on her. It seemed that they only needed to stare at their victim for a while for the transformation to be complete. Akira knew for sure now that she couldn't learn it - it seemed it ran in the family, almost like a kekkei genkai. She'd have to be taught the way, not just the Jutsu.

Nothing of that mattered however. The second Agari and the three copies of her teammate exited the cave she was surveying, Akira jumped down and ran into the limestone cave that was designated on the map. The girl nearly ran inside, eyes and ears alerted to everything they could see and hear. So far, all Akira could hear was a strange hissing sound, and then...

"Then how are we going to get out of here!?"

"I suppose that would be my queue to help out?" Akira said, bending over the barred crater that served as a cell. She smiled, eyes closed and holding up a peace sign. "Hello, everyone!"

"What the hell is this!? Kakashi 2.0!? You're late Akira!" Naruto shouted.

"I consider being called Kakashi a great honour."

"Akira, there's no time for this!"

"I am aware. I am attempting to determine whether I can diffuse these paper bombs or not," Akira said, deadpan, looking up at the ceiling. "They are too far gone... Oh, I got it!"

Akira pulled out that grate that was covering the crater and jumped down with her teammates. She tossed a shuriken at each of the ropes binding their hands together and helped them untie the rest. Then the paper bombs began to blow.

"Hinata! 8 Trigrams 64 Palms!"

"Oh! Right!"

Akira picked up Akamaru, who curled himself around the back of her neck, and then pulled Naruto and Kiba towards her herself and Hinata. She pushed them to the ground as the rocks fell towards them, and Hinata crushed them one by one with her gentle fist technique, creating a protective barrier around the team. The stones formed a sort of orb around them, but that was no problem at all.

"Kiba, are they still there?" Akira asked.

Kiba put his ear to the ground and listened for a few seconds.

"They're gone."

"Good. Hey, Naruto where are you going?"

"Grabbing the treasure chest."

"Why bother, it's probably a fake, anyway," Kiba said.

"True, but it's out mission to bring it back," Naruto replied.

"It could also be a good marker to distinguish him from the fake," Hinata added.

"Great thinking," Akira said. "Naruto, keep the chest on you at all times. Akamaru will be Kiba's marker, and Hinata is injured so it is easy to distinguish."

The surrounding rock began to rumble, destabilizing Hinata. Akira caught her and easily hoisted her onto her shoulders.

"Kiba, Fang Over Fang. Tunnel us out of here - we will be right behind you."

"Right."

Kiba and Akamaru got into position and began using their Jutsu to drill through the slowly collapsing rock. Naruto and Akira, with Hinata on her back, ran after him, following close behind. Suddenly there was light at the end of the tunnel they were running down, and the two ninja made a mad dash to the finish line before the tunnel collapsed on itself. Akira set Hinata down and threw her a med kit, knowing that she'd do a better job on her own leg than her.

"All right! We made it!" Naruto cheered.

"Can I point something out?" Akira asked, looking to her teammates.

"What?"

"While I was surveying from afar, I could not help but notice the bickering and the worrying. I think that that is our team's weakness."

"What're you talking about?" Kiba asked.

"Hinata spends too much time worrying about us, you and Naruto are too blunt and start bickering like a married couple, and I am too focused on the mission to notice these things. Now that we know that these are our team's weaknesses, I think we can finish this mission without any worrying or bickering at all."

"Huh, that actually makes sense, Kira."

"So, Hinata, you are hurt. Take care of that leg for now. Kiba, Naruto and I will go on ahead and catch up to those imposters - join us when you are ready. All right?"

"All right," Hinata said with a small smile.

"Good. Now come on boys, we got work to do."


	87. Congratulations

There was no pausing on their way back to Konohagakure. Kiba, Naruto and Akira covered the dirt path with great steps that suggested their ankles were made of tightly coiled springs rather than the muscle and bone an ordinary person had. Each of their strides worth at least two. With more effort than they'd hoped to use, they finally got to the gates of the village, confusing the ninja and the ninken that were standing guard. Akira took to the roofs, and Kiba released Akamaru, hoping that he could at least sniff out Agari Kaisen, which he did. Kiba, Akamaru and Naruto came up behind the three impostors and their leader, and Akira landed in front of them, blocking their path forward.

"We'll kick your butts!" Naruto shouted.

"Oh, so you're alive?" Agari said, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

"Yeah, that would be because of me. Though I am sure they would have found their way out anyhow," Akira stated, and the impostors turned to her as if noticing her for the first time.

"This time it's your turn to prepare yourselves," Kiba said with a smirk. "After all, this is our home field."

"There are times you lose even when playing the home field," the fake Naruto laughed.

"How about no?" Akira said. "You see, we cannot lose."

"Oh really? How's that?" the fake Kiba taunted.

"Because I analysed you. And I have deduced that we cannot lose."

"Huh?"

"You are simply shells, capable of one thing only... Copying faces. You cannot copy Jutsu or techniques. Unless you are Shinobi, I doubt that we would need more than a well-packed punch to defeat you." Akira smiled pleasantly, though there was clear malice behind it. "Oh, by the way, look behind you."

The fake Kiba looked behind him and was easily out with a single punch to the gut by the real Kiba. He was reduced to twitching heaps on the ground.

"This is how I aspire to see you one day, Kiba. Crushed by the might of my fist," Akira said in a joking tone.

"Yeah, that's never gonna happen, Kira," Kiba laughed.

All of a sudden, the fake Hinata and Agari ran off in one direction, and the fake Naruto ran off in another. Naruto immediately ran off after himself, which left Akira and Kiba to deal with the other two. It didn't take long for them to catch up to the impostors, and Akira easily took out Agari.

"Wow, even he was weak," Akira muttered, dusting off her outfit.

She looked over at the fake Hinata who was playing the emotion card, crying and backing herself up against the wall. Akira pulled a face. Did they really expect this to work?"

"You know, that kind of stuff might have worked on Naruto, but I hate soppy stuff like that!" Kiba shouted, which made the fake Hinata faint. Kiba sighed. "Did these guys really intend to attack the village?"

"If so, it is quite pathetic," Akira groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Come. Tie her up, and I will tie up Agari. Let us bring them to the Academy gates and wait for Naruto."

"Right."

It didn't take long for Naruto and Hinata to show up, and when they did, the team brought up the impostors to Tsunade's office to report on a successful mission. However...

"A TEST!?" the four of them chorused.

"Yes," Shizune said, standing beside the Hokage. "It was a test to see your teamwork."

"A Shinobi will often have to form a team with various others in response to the qualities and conditions of the mission," Tsunade said. "At such times, failing if teamed with a certain other person is a problem. And so, I gave you a mission that was easy at the start. And I made it so along the way something would happen involving a village crisis. At that time, I wanted to see if you could handle it as a team."

"So, that's what it was..." Hinata muttered.

"We would have died if we'd made the slightest mistake," Kiba noted.

"It's okay," Agari laughed. "I got the story about you guys from Lady Tsunade. It was a set up, so even if you made a mistake, you would only be injured."

"Since this time you had the Ninja Hound Akamaru with you, as well as Akira, I enlisted the help of the Kedōin Clan so you wouldn't be able to distinguish the enemy," Tsunade said. "So, how'd they do?"

"Let's see... They floundered part of the way, and I was worried about the outcome, but I shall pass them. After all, Akira not being cloned came as a surprise to us, and they managed to rally together to bring us down in the end."

"Very well," Tsunade said with a smile. "You're dismissed. Except for Akira. I'd like to speak to you about your new missions."

Akira said goodbye to her teammates and remained in Tsunade's office, staring at her friends until the door shut behind them. The girl moved to the center of the room and stood before the Hokage, both anxious and excited about what Lady Tsunade was going to share with her.

"As promised, you're officially starting Chūnin-level missions as of tomorrow. That means you're going to be getting C-rank and B-rank missions. C-rank missions you've done before. They don't usually involve fighting or put the ninja in danger, but B-rank missions are different. I'm sure you remember Zabuza Momochi and Haku?"

"How could I forget?" Akira said solemnly.

"B-rank missions usually involve spying or assassinations, and ninja are expected to fight enemy ninja during these missions," Tsunade said. "I don't think you have any issues with these tasks?"

"No, I do not. I have already performed these tasks in previous missions."

"Good, then there will be no problem if I have to send you on the harder missions?"

"Of course not. I think I would prefer them, anyway," Akira said, smiling a little bit shamefully. "Given my aptitudes, what sort of missions would you see fit to send me on?"

"Like Shikamaru, you have incredible tactical knowledge. Because of that, you would be suited to military-style missions that involve assault and careful planning. With the Sharingan, you possess the unique ability to observe and learn nearly any Jutsu you see being performed. The kekkei genkai is well-suited for spying and gathering intelligence. Finally, you possess an incredible amount of power which, need I remind you, has to be used sparsely. Nevertheless, since you have lots of power regardless of that thing on your neck, once again, battle situations suit you well."

"Intelligence gathering and missions that obviously require a fight... I am satisfied with that."

"Good. Oh, also it pays more, so bonus," Tsunade said with a small chuckle. "Any questions?"

"Do you think I will have a mission tomorrow?" Akira said, almost eagerly.

"I think you're gonna get a few days worth of break considering you just came from a mission," Shizune said. "Besides, not many missions of that sort of importance have come up recently."

"Oh, all right..."

"One last thing before you go, Akira," Tsunade called, stopping the girl from leaving the office. "Since you're starting your official Chūnin duties, this also makes you eligible for promotion. Do you know how that works?"

"Sort of. I know you can be appointed or recommended, but I am not quite sure how it works," Akira admitted.

"First, it's important to know that only the Hokage can appoint the rank of Jōnin, and only if the ninja displays enough talent and has enough experience in the field. That being said, Jōnin and fellow Chūnin may send in a written recommendation for a Chūnin, explaining what reasons they have for recommending that specific ninja. If there are enough submissions or the reasons to promote overwhelm, then I appoint them as Jōnin."

"How many submissions does it usually take?"

"I'd say four or five," Tsunade said airily. "But in your case, I'd say at least double that. Considering you'll get five recommendations right off the bat from Kakashi, Shikamaru, Asuma, Kurenai and Guy... you're gonna need to get along with other people and have them like you enough to recommend them."

"Right..." Akira sighed, then bowed. "Thank you."

Akira began to leave again, and when her hand touched the door, Tsunade called out to her again.

"Just because I've prevented you from doing this for so long doesn't mean that I don't have faith in your abilities, Akira. Trust me when I say that you are going to do great."

Akira smiled, and for the first time in a long time, she believed and respected the words that came out of Tsunade's mouth. She closed the door behind her and made her way down to the Academy grounds. She said hello to Iruka-sensei and to the few students who recognised her from the few classes she'd given a while back, then made her way into town to get ingredients to stock up her fridge again.

"Congratulations."

Akira jumped and dropped an apple she was holding at the sound of the voice. She turned around to see who it was, but there was no one there. There girl frowned, chalking it up to lack of sleep and much needed food. She picked up the apple and placed it in her grocery bag, then collected a few more items before paying the man and heading home. Akira prepared herself a meal and ate in silence, then cleaned up around her home a bit before heading to the training area near her house to practise her Tai Chi.

"Congratulations."

Startled, Akira threw a shuriken in the direction of the voice before turning to look. This time she spotted Kakashi holding the shuriken, an eyebrow raised. Akira instantly calmed, chastising herself for being so jumpy.

"Sorry. Something odd happened earlier... I thought it was happening again."

"What happened?"

"Nothing really," Akira dismissed. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Coming to congratulate you on your success in convincing Tsunade," Kakashi said.

"Are you? You do not sound particularly thrilled, Kakashi."

"Do I usually?"

"More than this, yes."

They stared at each other in silence for a while, until Akira gave up and returned to her breathing exercises.

"Did you lose sleep just to train with him?"

Akira let out a calm breath and turned back to Kakashi, lowering her arms back to her sides.

"You were eavesdropping," Akira stated with a sigh. "I trained with him in the evening and a little past sunset. I never willingly sacrificed sleep to train with him."

"Ever lose track of time and realised it was way past sunset?"

"I do not see how that is relevant, Kakashi. I lose track of time no matter who I am training with, including you. Remember when I was trying to learn that stupid Earth-style Jutsu and you had to stop me or I would have spent all night doing it?"

"I do."

"Then it matters not whether I lost track of time training with him."

"You respect him?"

"Of course I do! I would be stupid not to, Kakashi. He taught me more than I would care to admit," Akira replied, starting to get annoyed by the man's questioning. "Just like I respect you, because you also taught me so much. The difference is that I have no shame in admitting what you taught me."

Akira frowned at Kakashi. It bothered her that he was more concerned with personal issues rather than letting Orochimaru deliberately slip through her fingers. Surely he should care more about endangering lives than her personal relationship to Orochimaru?

"See, you respecting someone like him makes me doubt the respect you have for me, Akira," Kakashi said, voice in a tone Akira had never heard from him before.

"Kakashi, where is this all coming from?" Akira asked, worried. "Should you not be more concerned about the fact I willingly let Orochimaru escape? I endangered lives!"

"I should..." Kakashi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But I'm not."

"Why?"

"Now that... Is a good question."

"I understand that it is disturbing, but why does my relationship to Orochimaru bother you this much? It was just training! I mean - are you concerned that I think he was the better teacher?"

Kakashi looked back at Akira, causing the girl to frown.

"Because he was not. You will always be my true sensei, Kakashi."

The man's face seemed to relax through his mask, but his words were sad when he spoke.

"Again, congratulations."

And then he left.


	88. Samurai

In the ten hours she'd been in bed Akira must have woken up six times. Not for that long each time, but enough to break her sleep into unrefreshing chunks. With every disturbance there was a new nightmare. Kai had died on his mission. Her mind broke and gave in to Orochimaru. The Academy and all its students were burning down in a fire. Sasuke and Itachi were murdered by her own hand. Akamaru ate Kiba alive. Kakashi never spoke to her again. Then the light from the sun shone inside her bedroom and her mind was moving faster than a bolt of lightning on fast forward with the thunder's volume boosted to its limit. Akira wanted to wash her brain in cold water, chill the whole thing out before it short-circuited, but she couldn't. For once she wanted to have a cup of disgusting coffee, but she knew that that kind of caffeine would put her on edge. Akira was out of the house in minutes, halfway to the blacksmith's shop before she remembered breakfast, her ninja gear and the money to pay for what she was picking up.

It had been days since Kakashi came to "congratulate" her on her success in convincing Lady Tsunade to let her go on proper missions, and since then Akira couldn't shake the anxiety she was feeling. The word 'congratulations' had become some sort of twitching trigger, and every time she tried to relax, the conversation she'd had with Kakashi came straight back to her mind and the near-catatonic state she was in returned with it. The only thing she thought of lately was whether she'd be in this state or not if the 'congratulations' she'd heard in the market had never happened. That and the reasons why Kakashi seemed so saddened, or even insulted, by the mere concept of her relationship with Orochimaru. Nothing made sense anymore.

Even the blacksmith could tell something was wrong when Akira came to pick up the custom armour she'd asked to have made, but at least her mind cleared when she tried it on. It was her first time wearing something this complex, other than the armour of that ghost parading in the Land of Birds. This one fit her to a tee. First came the undergarments: the shirt, pants and special shoes.

"Traditionally, a family member or a fellow warrior helped you put on the armour, but I suppose you'll be putting this on yourself?" the blacksmith asked.

"Uh, yes," Akira replied quickly, snapping out of a daze.

"Then we start from the bottom, up. First the _suneate_ , the shin guards."

Akira took the metal plated shin guards and tied each ribbon behind her calf, making sure it was comfortable and secure, starting with the left one on the blacksmith's instruction.

"Then the _haidate_ , the thigh guards."

The Uchiha was please that the armour was leather studded with metal plates. It was more comfortable to wear, less bulky and allowed for more movement even as she was putting on the armour itself. The thigh guard was like a skirt split down the middle. It was sturdy fabric from the waist to the top of the thigh, but the rest was plated leather. Akira moved around in it, finding the movement of the guard quite appealing. Two of the flaps in the guard were tied to her legs to assure permanent protection, but because the top part was fabric movement wasn't restricted and it would not get in the way should she choose to high kick someone.

"Next the _kote_."

Akira slipped on the pliable leather sleeve of the left arm, and tied it beneath her right, securing it in place. It covered the top of her hand and folded properly with her elbow, the metal plates only stiffening the armour on her upper arm and forearm. She did the same for the right arm, then slipped her fingers through small holes to keep the kote from falling off her hands.

"The _dō_ is next."

The blacksmith opened up the leather cuirass and held it up to that Akira could first slip her left arm through it. She then swung the back over and put it over her right shoulder, securing it to her right side. When the blacksmith finally let go, the Uchiha finally felt the weight of the armour. Because it was leather it could have been heavier, but the little plates of metal weighted it just enough for Akira to feel the need to strengthen her body more than it already was. More muscle mass was needed to run around in this armour.

"Now the _sode_."

Akira grabbed the spaulders off of the table and clipped the thin curtain of metal plates to her shoulders. She noticed moderately long tassels hanging from their sides, falling down from behind her shoulders.

"Will these not get in the way?"

"Perhaps. I put them there more for the aesthetic," the blacksmith said. "You have shown me how you fight. It seemed like a kind of dance to me, and I thought that your dance should be both deadly and beautiful."

"Fair enough," Akira said with a shrug.

"Now the _uwa-obi_."

The man pulled out an old white sash and wound it around Akira's waist two or three times, securing the bottom of the dō as well as creating the belt that would hold her Katana. He passed the ends inwards and outwards in a sort of complex braid that Akira just barely managed to memorise. She did it herself just to be sure she got it right.

"Now, I went out on a limb and made you a _menpō_ and a _kabuto_. I don't know if it's your style to wear a helmet, but I figured it'd look nice in your house should you choose not to wear it."

Akira shrugged and pulled the _menpō_ over her head. It served as a sort of neck and face guard. Metal plates were sewn into the neck's lining, and the lower face piece was completely made of metal. To her surprise, none of it dug into her skin but rested comfortably on top of it even when she moved her head around. The _kabuto_ , when presented to her, made Akira's eyes go wide. The cap was metal, but the plates coming down from it were leather and plated. What caught the girl's eye however was the large silver crescent moon placed just above the brow, both ends facing upwards. Akira removed her bandanna and lowered her ponytail to accommodate the helmet, gently placing on top of her head and then securing it beneath her chin.

The blacksmith placed a few Katana he had nearby into the uwa-obi to finish off the look, considering Akira had forgotten hers at home, and took a step back to admire his work. He smiled, satisfied, then pulled Akira to a tarnished mirror he had a few feet away. He couldn't see it, but the blacksmith was missing out on the Uchiha's rare smile. The armour looked amazing: the black leather was smooth and comfortable, and the charcoal-coloured armour plating shone in the dim firelight of the blacksmith's forge. The tassels and other accents were an intense peacock blue, except for the gleaming silver moon above her eyes.

"It is... it is magnificent."

Akira pulled out a Katana and twirled it around, crouched and dipped and rose her arms - the armour wasn't stiff. It was strong, but it followed her movements just like she hoped it would. She turned to the blacksmith.

"I do not know how to thank you for such beautiful work!"

"Just pay me what you owe and that'll be enough," the man chuckled.

"Are you sure? Honestly, I would do so much more if it meant expressing my gratitude," Akira said, pulling down the _menpō_ to speak more clearly. "Is there anything I can get you? Do for you?"

"Well, there is one thing. Maybe two..."

"Anything!"

"Use that armour like a proud Samurai, for one," the blacksmith said.

"Yes, sir!"

"And snap out of whatever daze you're in."

"Huh?"

"Don't think I didn't notice the zombie walking in here earlier. You've got something on your mind and it's bothering the hell outta you. Go solve the problem!"

"But I-"

"No 'but'! Go!"

Akira nodded to the man and removed her armour, then watched carefully as the man packed it into one neat little package. She paid the man, and then some, and grabbed the bundle of leather and metal that was her armour, _kabuto_ underneath her right arm. Akira bolted towards her house and made herself some food, because as this point wearing moderately heavy armour and lugging it around on an empty stomach had weakened her quite a bit, then walked back out of her house only to pause in front of the compounds torii.

"Wait... where the hell would he be at this hour?"

Akira contemplated Kakashi's odd schedule and habits for a moment before decided she would just go to his house to make sure he wasn't still sleeping. She couldn't help but stare at him, deadpan and disappointed, when he slid open his balcony door in his pyjamas, rubbing his sleepy eyes. But then her gaze relaxed, and Akira stared at him for a few moments, for reasons unbeknownst to her.

"It is past noon."

"So?"

"Why were you still sleeping?"

"I was tired. Still am. Is there a point to you creeping up on my balcony again? Last time you did this you went and got yourself a second-level Curse Mark," Kakashi said, backing away from the door, a sign of accepted entrance.

"There is, yes," Akira said, shutting the door behind her. "I wanted to talk to you about what you said the other day."

"What did I say the other day?"

"Oh, stop playing the ignorant card, Kakashi! You know very well what I am referring to!"

Kakashi sighed and went to his fridge, pulling out a carton of milk. He slipped off his mask before taking a sip and putting it back in the fridge. Akira still wasn't use to seeing his face and it bothered her.

"What about it?" Kakashi said, leaning on the counter to face Akira.

"I want to know what got you so worked up! I simply think that it is odd that you seemed to care more about what I thought of you than what I had done," Akira explained. "You are not usually one to care about what others think of you, Kakashi."

"Maybe I am."

"We both know that you are not."

Kakashi managed a light chuckle and a small smile tugging at his lips. Something in Akira's stomach fluttered and she discretely looked down at herself and pulled a face at her stomach, confused.

"I know you respect me, Akira. You always have. Remember how you use to smack Sasuke behind the head when he didn't call me sensei?"

"Yeah, I remember," Akira laughed, recalling Sasuke's angry face.

"Well, I thought that that respect would die when you stopped calling me sensei."

"That is absurd! I only stopped calling you sensei because I did not think that I was worthy enough to be your student anymore!"

The look of surprise on Kakashi's face would forever be burned into Akira's mind. It was the first time actually seeing such a strong reaction without the mask on, and even though he wasn't experiencing a good emotion, it didn't make his face any less appealing.

"I would never just stop calling you sensei for no good reason, Kakashi."

"You still don't call me sensei..."

"No, because I am too severely corrupted by Orochimaru to even think about calling you that ever again," Akira said almost sadly. "I respect Orochimaru simply for his thirst for knowledge. I respect you for the way you treat people, the way you teach others to work together, how you care deeply about those you are close to - I just respect you as a human being, Kakashi. And that is the kind of respect I could never give to Orochimaru... ever."

"Oh."

"Oh? That is all you have to say - oh?" Akira groaned. "You are an idiot."

"Hey, I'm your idiot."

Akira raised an eyebrow at Kakashi for the comment, and she could have sworn seeing colour rise up to his face, but the man pulled up his mask faster than her brain could even register he was pulling up his mask. Akira narrowed her eyes at him, and burned a hole into the back of his head as he left to his room. He came back moments later, fully clothed.

"Um, you up for some training?"


	89. Amegakure

"Where the hell are you going in such a hurry?"

Akira's feet pounded the ground as she ran off to the Hokage's office. Earlier this morning, she had stretched out her arms into the early summer morning, and she always knew it would be a fine day when she couldn't feel the temperature of the air. Her mood had skyrocketed immediately. Outside had the sweet fragrance of the fresh flowers in her garden and the birds chattered in the trees. The sky was blue with just a few clouds making their unhurried way toward the ocean. The sun was already a friendly ball of yellow above, promising more heat as the day progressed. All in all Akira couldn't have asked for better weather. And to top it all off, the Uchiha had just received her very first mission as a proper Chūnin. She didn't mean to bumb so violently into Kiba on her way to Tsunade, but in her hurried excitement Akira couldn't be bothered to swerve around people.

"I got my first Chūnin mission!" Akira smiled brightly, which made Kiba smile himself.

"You're gonna crush it, Kira!"

Akira smiled pleasantly and continued her race to Lady Tsunade's office. Once the Academy was in view the girl slowed down, catching her breath before entering the building. Akira tried to stay calm as she entered Tsunade's office, but seeing three unknown ninja before her simply made her heart race even more. She would be the new kid all over again, have to make first impressions all over again, not to mention she'd have to get along with these people for an entire mission, and it was quite likely that they'd be paired up again since they were now.

Akira slowed her pace once she entered the room and took a moment to make quick observations about the people standing in front of her. Bright red hair jumped out first, followed by the girl's equally bright green outfit. The way she was standing made her look quite feminine. Akira wondered if she was too feminine, afraid of getting too dirty. It wasn't hard to figure out who the second person was: trench coat, dark hair and glasses? Definitely someone from the Aburame Clan. The last person didn't have anything distinguishing other than the apron-skirt she was wearing and her perfect posture.

"Ah, Akira, you're here," Tsunade said, breaking Akira away from her observations. Everyone turned to look at her with indescribable faces. "Then let's begin. Shizune hand out the folders."

As Shizune handed out what looked like copies of an original folder, Tsunade glanced at each and every one of the ninja in front of her before speaking. Akira opened the folder and began leafing through its pages.

"Something went wrong," the Hokage began. "We received a threat from Amegakure. Page one." Akira returned to the first page of the folder. It was a letter addressed to the citizens of Konoha. "We get a lot of these, so I didn't put much stock in it, but it seemed that Amegakure had it in for us, for one reason of another, and so I decided to send out a few Genin just to make sure. Simple C-rank scout mission."

"Who composed the team?" Akira asked, eyes scanning over the letter.

"Shinji Nakamura, Irumi Note, Katsuo Manzo and Kai Manzo."

Akira's gaze sharply rose towards Tsunade upon hearing her best friend's name. The girl kept her composure however, as upon hearing his name the other ninja glanced at her to scale her reaction.

"What went wrong?" the Aburame ninja asked, turning back to Tsunade.

"Page four." There was a collective swishing of paper. "We don't know. The only thing we know is that a second threat reached us this morning. If the letter is correct, one of our own is dead and the others have been captured."

"Shouldn't this be an A-rank, though?" the girl with bright hair asked. "I mean, this is pretty serious stuff."

"Most of our higher ranking ninja are already out on missions," Tsunade sighed. "And since this is urgent, I'm sending the best people we have right now. You've never been assigned together, so let me make the introductions.

"Akira Uchiha, wielder of the Sharingan and proficient in Water and Lightning-release Jutsu. Haruto Aburame, user of the poisonous and paralysing kochū beetles. Naoko Yoshida, proficient in various styles of Genjutsu and Fuinjutsu. And lastly Umeko Okada, skilled in combat and proficient in Lightning-release.

"I'm appointing Haruto as leader, all right? You each have your strengths and your weaknesses, but I think you'll work well together if you want to. And you better want to because our men's lives are at stake. Good luck."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Reconvene in ten at the main gate. Go."

Everyone nodded stiffly and departed in their own directions. Akira didn't waste any time, using the forbidden Jutsu to transport herself home, avoided the afternoon foot traffic of Konohagakure. The girl undressed in mere seconds, slipping on the plain undergarments of her armour just as fast. Standing on a special rack was her armour, and she undressed it as she assembled the armour onto herself, starting from the bottom. She stared at the _menpō_ and _kabuto_ for a split second, deciding that she would prefer people seeing her face when she tore through them for capturing her best friend. Akira twisted the sash around her waist and fit in her Katana before flashing out of the compound and to the main gate to the village.

Haruto was already there, and he gave her a curt nod when she appeared before him. Naoko arrived later with extra protection, armour plates covering her forearms and shins, with dozens of scrolls tied to her belt and a large one on her back. Umeko arrived seconds after her, looking no different than before.

"All right, we head to Amegakure as quickly as possible. Once we're there we'll decide how to proceed inside, understood?"

Akira and the others didn't waste any time heading east towards Amegakure, and by nightfall, rain had begun pounding down on the four shinobi, signaling their arrival. But it wasn't just rain, it was a downpour as heavy as Akira had ever seen. Walking though a waterfall couldn't get any wetter. The drops struck the already wet ground, pitting the surface like they were bullets from above. She scowled into the dark.

Haruto sent some of his beetles to scout ahead and Akira woke her Sharingan on his orders to discern any movement in the heavy downpour. Naoko pulled out a medium-sized scroll and placed it on the ground, performing a number of handsigns above it. Then she unfurled the scroll as she drew blood from her finger and swiped it across the scroll. Moments later an entire platoon of lizards was standing before her, much like Kakashi's pack of ninken. She instructed them to scout the ground ahead. They waited in the cover of trees, slowly getting soaked, until the lizards and the beetles returned with the information they sought.

"No one is outside. Their forces are restricted to the inside of those buildings," Haruto said, and Naoko nodded in agreement. "According to the documents Lady Tsunade gave us, they should be keeping the prisoners in the center tower. Let's carefully make our way there. Umeko, Akira - go ahead. You're better skilled at close range combat, so you'll be better suited for an ambush. I'll go on behind you and Naoko can stay back and watch over, use a wide-ranged Genjutsu to confuse the enemy if needed."

"Right," Akira said with a stern nod.

She nodded forward as she looked at Umeko, and both girl head out first, into the depths of Amegakure. They carefully ran through the maze of tall buildings. The sound of emptiness was disrupted by the loud boom of thunder, and the cold icy rain pierced the parts of skin Akira had exposed. Thankfully, the armour didn't take on water, and it didn't get any heavier than it already was. There was another crash of thunder and lightning. It illuminated the industrial buildings and Umeko's face, making them go pale like ghosts. Akira wasn't fazed at all by it. Her two-toed shoes were caked in mud, and the storm battered her obsidian hair, but she wasn't scared. Just anxious to find her friend and the other ninja. When Akira and Umeko arrived at the center building, Haruto and Naoko rushed to them, commencing the next part of their plan. Haruto put a few beetles into the steel door's lock and they broke it from the inside, allowing Umeko and Naoko to pull open the door together. Akira pulled out her Katana and twirled them in hand before proceeding inside first.

The silence was deafening. Akira preferred the loud pounding of rain outside to this. Remain too long in a place this quiet and you were sure to go mad. Haruto sent more beetles ahead as scouts, but they didn't return. Naoko summoned a large lizard which she quietly climbed onto, and followed closely behind Akira and Umeko as they prepared themselves for an assault. They walked down the cold dark hallway, breathing as quietly as they could, and the second they turned the corner, Akira spotted some movement. She whisked her teammates behind her and waited a minute before looking out again. Her Sharingan couldn't discern any more movement. Akira signaled for the team to continue, and they weaved their way through the maze of hallways. A few times, Naoko and Akira took out some lookouts. Naoko preferred to stun them, but Akira knew that if they woke up they would be in deep trouble, so she threw kunai at the guards with incredible accuracy, slicing their throats and running over to catch them before they could hit the ground and make any noise.

Soon enough they made it to another locked area of the center tower, and Haruto unlocked it with a few beetles again. The door squeaked open and the two girls once again went forwards, keeping their eyes peeled for anything suspicious. Suddenly, Akira held up her hand, and everyone stopped. She looked somewhere into the distance as she listened closely to the noises in the surrounding area. She could hear whimpering. Akira signaled for herself and the team to move forward again, this time at a more rapid pace. The girl's heart was pounding, fear pouring into her veins. Was it Kai who was whimpering? Was it pain? Sadness? Either way it wasn't good.

"Over here!"

Akira turned towards Haruto, and the girls followed him down another hall, their rapid footfalls echoing in the quiet halls of the building. It sounded like it went on for kilometers, but Akira the rest of the team came to a sudden halt a few meters later. The Uchiha's breath hitched in her throat. The sunny day and happy mood were long gone now.

"Kai..."


	90. The Wanderer's Lullaby

Coming out was harder than going in, but the team worked in sync to get the four captives out of Amegakure. Many Amegakure ninja died in the process and quite a few buildings got destroyed, but it was worth seeing their fellow ninja out of harm's way. Akira and Umeko worked perfectly together. She was stern and sort of cold, but her Lightning Jutsu mixed with Akira's mastery over water was a wonderful and deadly combination. As for Haruto and Naoko, they combined Genjutsu and insects so seamlessly the Amegakure ninja caught in their traps were going to have nightmares for years.

Akira was glad to see the return of the sun the next day, as the team of four carried the injured on their backs. It rose up from the ground and painted the sky with pinks and oranges that Akira never thought she'd miss. It was such a natural thing to see, it was odd to feel like the rising sun was a luxury.

Medical-ninja were there to greet the team of Chūnin, and they took the injured ninja away from them and rushed to the hospital. Akira wanted to follow them, but she had to report in to Tsunade first. However, it seemed that her new comrades understood her position, and told her they'd make an excuse for her. The Uchiha bowed deeply and transported herself to the hospital in a flash, not even bothering to clean up the blood and dirt, or dry herself off from the Amegakure rain. She arrived just as Kai and the others were being rushed to the operating ward, and she followed them until a medical-nin stopped her from going forward. All she could do now is wait nervously for the surgeries to be over. She felt horrible for thinking this, but Akira was thankful it wasn't Kai or his sister Katsuo that was dead on arrival. She did, however, send a prayer to the family of Irumi Note.

"Kira!"

Akira's head snapped in the direction of the familiar tone of voice. Kiba and Akamaru were running her way, worried looks on their faces. Close behind them was Shikamaru looking equally as terrified.

"What happened!?" Shikamaru asked.

"The mission Kai was sent on was a bust. It turns out the threats that had been made were true, and when Kai's team went to investigate they were ambushed and taken hostage. One of them was killed immediately."

"It wasn't Kai was it!?" Kiba gasped.

"No! No. And it was not his sister either. However they are both in surgery now... I am worried."

There was a loud noise to their left, coming from behind the closed doors of the surgery room. Akira's jaw clenched with her fists, itching to run in there. A soft sensation on her hand stopped her though, and she gripped Kiba's hand as hard as she could.

"He'll be fine."

"But what if he is not! Kiba, surgeries are never certain even after they are successful! Sometimes they do not take and Kai... Kai was severely injured. Who do you think all this blood belongs to?"

There was another loud noise and Akira looked up at Kiba, eyes pleading.

"Oh, don't look at me like that," Kiba sighed. "Come here."

He pried his hand away and pulled Akira close to him. Shikamaru stared at door, but had his hand firmly placed on Akira's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her, but nothing would until Kai came out of that surgery room safely. The shouting and the loud noises weren't boosting Akira's confidence much, and with every cry and every crash, the girl's resolve broke a little bit more. She was even too paralysed to react to seeing Kakashi joining them in their worry, or Naruto - once Kai's partner in crime. It wasn't until a Medical-nin walked through the doors that Akira detached herself from Kiba and ran up to the doctor.

But it didn't help that the man shook his head.

Akira took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief. Then she ran passed him, just slipping out of Kiba's and Kakashi's reach before she slammed the doors open to see for herself. She couldn't stop the nausea rising up from her stomach. She couldn't believe her eyes. She didn't want to. She'd never seen anything to horrific like that, not even in her nightmares, not even by her own hand. And now she was seeing something her eyes would never be able to erase. The adrenaline flew over her veins like a kunai slicing the air, but she couldn't move anymore, not a muscle, not even to scream or cry. The absolute horror paralysed her, and the more she thought about moving closer, or running away, the less she was able to breath.

"K- Kai?"

* * *

It seemed fitting that it would be windy when a tombstone with Kai's name was added to the cemetery. The leaves tumbled over the ground and took small flights into the air. As Akira tossed her head back and raised her eyes to the sky a sad smile spread from cheek to cheek. The branches swayed and it their chaotic dance they were hypnotically beautiful, cherry blossom petals raining down. Akira tossed her hands into her pockets and sighed deeply. The wind carried the fragrance of the flowers and the petals into the girl's hair. She plucked one out and returned her gaze to the front, steadily examining the pink petal. Then she let it go, watching it as it caught the wind and swirled out of sight.

"Shōjo manga, huh?" Akira whispered, her eyebrows twitching into a small frown.

Akira lowered herself and sat down, spreading her black kimono behind her. Everyone had already left, leaving Akira to stare at her best friend's name alone. It wasn't normal to see it engraved on a rock, especially the name of a friend so young. To say that Akira was sad would be an understatement, but she never cried. Kai would have just told her to cheer up and smile.

"I would blame myself for your loss, Kai, but I know that the fault rests with the men that did this to you," Akira spoke to the headstone. "And no, I will not be going after them. I know you would disapprove."

Akira sighed and lied down beside the stone, staring up at the clear blue sky.

"Remember that song my mother used to sing? I know you said you preferred others, but it is my favourite... and it seems fitting at the moment. Do you mind if I sing it to you?"

The girl's head turned to face the side of the headstone and waited a few moments, almost as if she was expecting a reply. Akira shook her head. Of course it would never come. Kai was gone, and he was not going to come back. She would never again see the silver hair and golden eyes she'd gotten so used to seeing. It reminded her of when she saw the sun a few days prior. Something so normal ripped away...

 _Wandering child of the earth_

 _Do you know just how much you're worth?_

 _You have walked this path since your birth_

 _You were destined for more._

 _There are those who'll tell you you're wrong_

 _They will try to silence your song_

 _But right here is where you belong_

 _So don't search anymore._

 _You are the dawn of a new day that's waking_

 _A masterpiece still in the making_

 _The blue in an ocean of grey._

 _You are right where you need to be_

 _Poised to inspire and succeed_

 _You'll look back and you'll realise one day..._

 _In your eyes there is doubt_

 _As you try to figure it out_

 _But that's not what like is about_

 _So have faith_

 _There's a way._

 _Though the world may try to define you_

 _It can't take the light that's inside you_

 _So don't you dare try to hide_

 _Let your fears fade away._

 _You are the dawn of a new day that's waking_

 _A masterpiece still in the making_

 _The blue in an ocean of grey._

 _You are right where you need to be_

 _Poised to inspire and succeed_

 _You'll look back and you'll realise one day..._

 _You are the dawn of a new day that's waking_

 _A masterpiece still in the making_

 _The blue in an ocean of grey._

 _You are right where you need to be_

 _Poised to inspire and succeed_

 _Soon you'll finally find your own way._

Akira's gaze tore away from Kai's name when she heard footsteps approaching her. She didn't have the energy to sit up or even acknowledge Kakashi. Instead her eyes just returned to the sky, staring at the branches sway and the cherry blossom petals dance in the wind. Akira didn't even know why he was still here. Everyone else had left, even Kiba and Shikamaru, and they'd stayed at least an hour longer than everyone else, reminiscing about the four of them together back at the Academy. And yet there he was, sitting down beside her, leaning back to stare up at the sky as well.

"I'd say sorry but I know you'd feel pitied," he said softly.

"You do not have to be here, you know. Everyone else has left," Akira muttered.

"But you haven't."

"Someone has to keep him company."

Akira heard Kakashi sigh and turned to look at him as he lied down as well. When he looked over to her, Akira returned her gaze to the sky.

"Go home, Kakashi."

"Make me."

The Uchiha managed a small chuckle. A small smile broke on Kakashi's face.

"I leave when you leave, all right? We can keep Kai company together."

"Quit being such a nice person," Akira chuckled. "People will accuse you of favouritsm."

"Favouritsm doesn't apply to us anymore - you're not my student. People can't sue me for having a be-"

"A what? Does Kakashi Hatake consider me a best friend? Call the press."

"Shut up," the man laughed.

"Hey, you are allowed to. I have to admit that I am quite the amazing person."

"Yeah, yeah."

"To be fair... so are you."


	91. Ramen Lovers Can't Be Bad People!

It was autumn now, but it was still close enough to summer to have not lost the heat. There was no bundling up required as Akira left her house for Kiba's. It had been a few months since Kai had left them, which unconsciously made Kiba, Shikamaru and Akira spend more time together. Today it was lunch and much needed training. Shikamaru had been forced to study everything and nothing by his father in order to be a better Chūnin for the past few months, and he wanted a break. Kiba and Akamaru hadn't had many missions recently, and training with Shino and Hinata was only training the same things over and over again - besides, it had been a while since the three had trained together. As for Akira, she was taking advantage of her week off. She still needed to get her body used to the heavy armour she was going to sport on more dangerous missions.

Akira pulled the bundled up armour onto her shoulders and exited her home in a near hurry. The sooner she got to Kiba's house, the sooner they could pick a spot and begin their training. Shikamaru was already there when she arrived, and Kiba walked out of his yard with Akamaru moments later. The three friends made their way into town, first bickering about where they were going to have lunch when they ran into Naruto. Akamaru barked at him instantly.

"Hey, what's the deal, Akamaru?" Naruto complained.

"He says you smell bad, Naruto," Kiba laughed. "Have you been taking showers, recently?"

"I don't need Akamaru's nose to tell that he hasn't," Shikamaru grumbled.

"Hey, be don't be saying rude stuff like that!"

"No, you seriously stink," Kiba said, blocking his nose.

"Come to think of it... The poop from the eagle a moment ago..." Naruto muttered.

"Eagle poop?" Akira echoed, frowning. "Oh, hello Sakura!"

"Hey, Akira, Kiba, Shikamaru," Sakura greeted, coming up behind Naruto. "Oh, and the slacker who can't get a mission!"

"That's just - I'm not that much of a slacker!" Naruto argued.

"So it seems. Have you been training recklessly again?"

She looked down to a large rip on Naruto's pants.

"Huh? You're right! I didn't notice."

"Well, it can't be helped. Bring it to me later and I'll patch it up for you," Sakura sighed.

"Really!? Really!? Really!?" Naruto said excitedly, pushing over Akira, Kiba and Shikamaru to get to the pink-haired girl. "Sakura you're such a nice person! It's the first time in my life you've been so nice to me!"

"I think this is our queue to leave," Shikamaru said, slowly pulling Akira and Kiba away.

"I was going to suggest going to Ichiraku's but not if Naruto is going to be there acting crazy," Akira chuckled.

"Let's just get some barbecue," Kiba suggested.

"I swear, with all the barbecue you have been eating recently you will turn into Choji."

The bickering continued all through lunch, but their time together wasn't devoid of jokes and laughter just as it used to be. Kiba would usually be the one to do or say something stupid, and Akira would double over in laughter almost automatically. Half the time Shikamaru would just smirk, but on occasion he tried to imitate Kiba and failed miserably, upping the sounds of laughter in the restaurant. The good times didn't die down once they'd paid for their food and left for the training part of the day. Akira was so high on happiness that she'd jumped up onto Shikamaru's shoulders, laughing almost hysterically as Kiba and Akamaru kept goofing off.

They were children again, wind in their hair and no brains in their heads. They were skidding down the road in a brake-less cart, one of them on the corner to make signals for pedestrians, but really, what would they have done if someone walked by? It was adrenaline pumping, eye opening, grin plastering fun and they loved every second. And now they looked at each other, knees scuffed and hair tangled by the wind, and they could see it all again. Akira in a fancy kimono all set to ruin by the tumultuous boys she kept as company. The wars they used to wage on squirrels in Kiba's backyard or the times they'd scare Shikamaru awake from a nap.

In the end they didn't train, their equipment lined against the trees and almost forgotten. Instead they she half their clothes and jumped into the lake, going back to those carefree times. They didn't admire the golden sun and the fresh flowers, they threw each other into the water and wrestled in the dirt, knees scraping, then ended up exhausted, sprawled across the grass and panting, but still chuckling with smiles ghosting their lips.

* * *

A low rumble made Akira jerk awake the next day. She sat up and listened for a few moments but nothing happened. Akira swung her legs off the bed and slipped on a yukata before heading to her window to check outside. The fragrance of the flowers around her home greeted her first, but there was an underlying smell of sulfur as well.

"Smokescreen..." the girl whispered.

Akira frowned. Was the sound that woke her up related to it? Akira grabbed a short belt and tied up the yukata before walking outside and looking around. There was no one there, no summons, no letter. But there were also no ninja patrolling the streets. Had they been called for a security threat?

The Uchiha returned to her room and grabbed all of her weapons. If she wasn't being called to secure the area, surely she would have to do something within the city in the morning. Akira made her way to the main living area where she dropped all her weapons and then fetched all her things for polishing and sharpening them. She spent hours on her weapons, making sure ever single one of them could cut a sheet of paper simply by grazing it. By morning Akira was on her final weapon, her second Katana, and still dressed in her yukata. Shikamaru walked in, already dressed in uniform.

"You saw the smokescreen?" he asked, glancing around at the gleaming weapons.

"I did, yes," Akira replied in standing. "I will get ready."

Shikamaru nodded watched as Akira retreated down the hall and back to her room. Since Kai had departed, Akira's uniform had drastically changed. In honour of Kai's appreciation for kimono, the young Uchiha began wearing a haori instead of her usual happi, which was far less formal. She pulled on pants and a simple tank top, before slipping the dark blue haori over her shoulders and fastening the haori-himo. Akira returned to Shikamaru with the white sash she tied her Katana with and wrapped it around herself like she did when she wore her armour. The girl returned all her weapons to their respective pouches and slipped her Katana into their saya.

"We may leave."

Shikamaru nodded stiffly and disappeared into the pale morning light, Akira hot on his heels. The town was deserted. Not even the shop keepers were out yet, and no one other than herself and Shikamaru were roaming the streets. Even the Academy and the Hokage's office was empty upon entering, only Tsunade and Shizune were there, still half asleep. Tsunade explained the situation to the two Chūnin, and they were instructed to go gather up their teammates for the special mission. An hour later, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Choji, Lee, Neji, Tenten, Sakura and Naruto were standing almost nervously in front of Akira and Shikamaru, both with stern looks on their faces. Training ground three had never been so filled with tension.

"I'm sure you've all already noticed," Shikamaru began once he had everyone's attention. "The village is currently under an S-Level Emergency Security Alert."

"Started with the smokescreen last night, eh?" Kiba commented.

"You guys noticed it?" Naruto asked, surprised.

"Of course," Neji said.

"Huh? I didn't notice," Choji muttered.

"You're always so out of it!" Ino shouted.

"Silence," Akira called. "Late last night, a man that the Anbu Black Ops had been marking for the past two weeks snuck into the home of Konohagakure's master carpenter. He stole the plans for several important facilities of our village that were hidden in a safe."

"So, what's so bad about that?" Naruto asked. "He just stole the plans for the facilities, right?"

"You're such an idiot, Naruto," Sakura grumbled.

Akira sighed. Sakura had a point. A very simple and logical deduction could be made from what she'd just said.

"Let's say that the plans for the fort that surrounds the village fell into enemy hands," Neji began, "by analyzing those plans in detail, the enemy could figure out the most efficient way to break into the village. Now let's say that there were plans for Lady Tsunade's mansion. If you were to examine those plans, you could somehow find a way to get into her room."

"And if those plans were in the hands of an assassin?" Kiba added, sending a pointed look at Naruto.

"That'd be really bad."

"Last night's smokescreen was something the enemy spread as he was running away," Shikamaru said. "In the end, the Anbu Black Ops cornered him in the Western Forest. He killed himself before they could get him to talk. Unfortunately, when he committed suicide, he was not in the possession of the plans that he had stolen. If the plans have already fallen into the hands of the enemy it would be a re-enactment of the nightmare of the Destruction of the Leaf Village."

"In order to prevent that from happening," Akira continued, "the S-Level Emergency Security Alert was put into effect this morning. The majority of our forces have been deployed to the outside of the fort to secure the area, but those who were left behind, which would be us, have a different mission. Find the stolen plans and bring them back."

"That's like finding a needle in a haystack," Neji sighed.

"We just need to investigate the path he took and people he was acquainted with," Tenten stated.

"It turns out that the guy was famous for being a top-level trap technician," Shikamaru said, annoyed. "It's a huge possibility that there are traps where he left the plans."

"It's definitely plausible," Shino agreed.

"Which also means that it'll be more of a pain in the ass than I'd like."

"I understand," Ino said. "We'll follow your instructions, guys."

Everyone nodded in agreement, so Akira pulled out a small amount of pictures of the perpetrator. She tossed one at each of the ninja before her.

"All right. We will begin the investigation, then," she said. "It turns out that the man snuck into the village a few months ago and worked as a carpenter. That is him. His name is Genno."

"What!?" Naruto shouted. "There's no way! Old Man Genno loved ramen at Ichiraku's! He would never do anything to harm the Hidden Leaf Village!"

"Naruto, you know this guy?" Kiba asked.

"Should you not be more concerned tat he is basing Genno's innocence upon the fact that he eats ramen?" Akira whispered to Kiba, exasperated.

"Listen... There's no way that a guy sneaking into an enemy's village would show his bad side," Shikamaru sighed, equally as disappointed. "He played the part of a good guy to let people's guard down."

"There's no way that anyone who eats ramen can be a bad person!" Naruto shouted.

"No, Naruto," Choji said. "People who eat Ichiraku's ramen can't be bad."

"Jeez, I can't depend on anyone," Shikamaru sighed.

"I once ate Ichiraku ramen with Orochimaru, if that helps," Akira said, as if nothing was wrong with that statement.

Naruto shrieked.


	92. Two Chūnin

The twelve young ninja momentarily dispersed once everyone got over Akira's statement. It was only after Naruto's screech that she realized the impact of her statement. Apparently eating ramen with Orochimaru wasn't something to be taken lightly. Nevertheless, the ninja reconvened at the master carpenter's home, and they all sat before him, Akira and Shikamaru directly in front of him as they were the team leaders for this operation. He handed Akira a sheet of paper the moment everyone was sat comfortably.

"This is a list of the stolen plans," he said. "I'm so embarrassed we lost our important plans... I can't show my face to Lady Tsunade."

Akira leafed through the booklet and then handed it to Shikamaru.

"Which projects was Genno involved with?" she asked.

"None of them."

"But wasn't he working under you?" Sakura asked.

"I don't allow outsiders to work on any construction that involves the safety of the village," the carpenter admitted. "That old man only worked residential construction."

"Which means there's little chance he slipped traps into the construction," Shino stated.

"I think it's impossible."

"We should check, just to be sure," Akira said, nodding to Shikamaru. He handed the booklets to Neji and Hinata. "Bring someone with you."

"I'll go," Tenten said.

"So will I," Lee stated.

Neji, Hinata, Tenten and Lee left the building and began their examination of the buildings which plans had been stolen. Ino, Shino, Sakura, Choji, Naruto and the two Chūnin remained with the carpenter.

"We said it before," Shikamaru began," but there is a possibility that the plans haven't fallen into enemy hands yet. It is possible that he could have hidden them while he was running away."

"Kiba, Akamaru, Shino - track his movements," Akira ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," Kiba said, at the same time Akamaru barked in acknowledgement.

The three of them left as well, so that Sakura, Ino, Choji, Naruto and both team leaders remained.

"Sakura, Ino - you go check the old man's body. There might be clues there," Shikamaru ordered.

"What!? Us?" Ino asked, surprised.

"Got it," Sakura said and stood.

"All right. You just wanted me to go though, right!? I'll go!"

Both girls left as well.

"Now, master carpenter, can you tell us everything you know about Old Man Genno?"

"The old man came to the village about three months ago... with a recommendation letter from a famous carpenter in the Land of Sand," he said. "As you know, there's a bit of a construction boom in the Leaf Village. Every place is in need of more people. And we needed some people ourselves, so I decided to hire him right away. His carpentering skills were... all right, just average. I didn't feel the urge to hire him permanently, nor did I feel like I wanted to fire him right away. He took his job seriously, so we he was perfect to hire when we were short on people." The man sighed. "But after a while, I found out that the recommendation letter he'd brought was a fake. This is it right here."

The carpenter handed the letter to Shikamaru and he gave it a once over before handing it to Akira.

"And how's it fake?" Naruto asked.

"It turns out that that same carpenter, ten years ago, made a recommendation letter for someone I'd hired at the time. I found the letter and compared the handwriting. It isn't the same. To be honest, I didn't really care that his letter was fake as long as he didn't cause any trouble and did his job. I didn't think he'd come here to steal all these plans..."

"It is quite all right. No one suspects a thing with people like that," Akira said with a soft smile. She stood. "Do you mind telling us where he lived?"

It didn't take long to find out where Genno lived or to determine that his place wasn't infested with traps or anything of the sort. According to the landlady and it neighbours, he always paid the rent on time and was quite proper, not even causing disturbances when a few friends came over for a few drinks. Akira, Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto even went to a few construction sites to talk with some of his coworkers, but as predicted he rarely spoke of himself, only that he'd befriended a kid from the Leaf Village. That had to be Naruto, but it wasn't like Naruto was going to remember anything important. However, it didn't seem like the Anbu Black Ops knew Naruto that well, because seconds after one of the carpenters mentioned Genno befriending Naruto, they were standing right behind him. Akira barely even heard them coming - they were almost as quiet as Gaara the first time they'd met.

"You're Naruto Uzumaki?" one of them asked.

Akira couldn't tell which had spoken because of their masks, and for a split second she tried to imagine Kakashi in one of those outfits. She shrugged in agreement with the visual in her mind - it'd suit him.

"We want you to talk with us for a bit."

"You will not be getting anything from him, you realise this," Akira said. "This is Naruto Uzumaki we are talking about, after all. He will not remember anything useful."

"We will be the ones to decided that."

Seconds later, all the Anbu were gone with Naruto. Akira cursed.

"You better bring him back in one piece, you assholes!"

"Um, Akira?" Hinata asked, just as Neji, Tenten, Lee and herself had come back.

"Sorry. The Anbu just took Naruto in for questioning is all."

Everyone nodded in understanding. Neji and Hinata handed over the documents to Akira and Shikamaru, then made their way to the dango shop for a quick snack while they collected themselves. After looking over the booklets, it was determined that there was nothing wrong with the buildings for which the plans were stolen. They were all built according to their plans and there were no signs of any traps. Akira looked at Shikamaru, eyebrows furrowed. He had the same look. Something was up and neither of them liked it.

"Hinata, go check on Sakura and Ino at the forensics center," Akira ordered. "Lee, Tenten - here is a list of places Genno used to frequent, check them out. See if there is any information you can gather."

"We're on it," Tenten said, answering for herself and Hinata.

"Choji, Neji - go see if you can lend Shino and Kiba a hand," Shikamaru added.

"Understood."

The Genin left the Dango shop, leaving both Chūnin alone to stare at each other, deep in thought. They didn't need to speak to know that the other felt that something was wrong about this whole situation. The facts just didn't add up to what they expected, or to anything for that matter. Akira took a sip of tea.

"I suppose this is where you say, 'what a drag'," she said with a sigh.

"You said it," Shikamaru agreed.

"Akira, Shikamaru."

Both Chūnin turned to spot Shizune. She came bearing a message from Tsunade. It seemed that their presence was required, so the three ninja returned to the Academy to receive more information about their mission.

"We've just received information about the Village Hidden in the Waterfall," Lady Tsunade said.

"What? Takigakure?" Akira said, surprised.

"It seems that they've committed their troops into battle positions. They're calling it a big practice run, but..."

"Big practice run?" Shikamaru questioned.

"I don't think I need to say more but it's been used many times in the past. They get all of their troops together for the purpose of a big practice run and then they invade another country."

"Furthermore," Shizune began, "there is information that Genno stayed in Takigakure before coming to Konoha. It wouldn't be unusual if there was a connection."

"Most of the ninja we've deployed have already been mobilized to the Village Hidden in the Waterfall," Tsunade stated. "Crossing the border will be taken as a sign of willful invasion. We will attack anyone that enters."

"What?" Akira and Shikamaru whispered.

"Akira, Shikamaru, I want you two to head over to the border, as well!"

Akira and Shikamaru shared a look.

"We don't think there's any reason for us to go," Shikamaru said.

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked, stern.

"Ten Genin and two Chūnin?" Akira said, nearly sighing. "Our presence of absence will not make much of a difference to the overall situation."

"What's your point?"

"We... We don't like it," Shikamaru said, sounding almost confused. "Old Man Genno's actions..."

"After the investigation, Shikamaru and I figured this much out," Akira said. "His everyday activities were quite impressive. His carpentry skills were average. He was quite plain, never stood out and never made any big mistakes. Nobody liked him, nobody hated him. Even if he were to disappear all of a sudden, no one would think twice about it the next day. A very low-key profile."

"It's an undercover profile that's so impressive that I'd want to put it in a Shinobi textbook," Shikamaru admitted. "A brilliant Shinobi like him, marked so easily by the Anbu Black Ops? Don't you think that's a bit strange?"

"That's true..." Tsunade said, still fixated on the two Chūnin.

"And when he was trying to get away, he was able to evade the Anbu Black Ops, but they caught up to him. For a trap professional, it seemed like an anticlimactic end. On top of all that, the plans have completely disappeared."

"It just does not make any sense," Akira added for emphasis. "And... And I think everything is going according to his plan."

"What?"

"His true identity being discovered, and dying in front of the Anbu? It seems like something I would do. Have everyone focused on finding plans that I still have because I did not actually die."

"What if he even predicted everyone leaving the village to protect against the Village Hidden in the Waterfall?" Shikamaru added. "We could just be dancing in the palm of his hand."

"But if we look at all the information we've gathered up until now, we need to be alert for the Village Hidden in the Waterfall," Tsunade reasoned.

"That's true, but..."

"However, I don't think the situation will change much just by sending in ten more Genin and two more Chūnin... Continue your investigation."

"Understood."

By the time Akira and Shikamaru had left the Academy, Naruto was finally out of questioning with the Anbu. Akira gave him a once over to make sure he was all right, and then the three ninja returned to the master carpenter's home to look over his files for the constructions which plans were stolen, as well as every other construction the man had records of. There were piles and piles of booklets on the ground, and dozens of scrolls lined in between those piles. The only free spots of floor were the ones by the door, the window and the clear floor beneath the two Chūnin and the Genin.

"My head hurts..." Naruto grumbled. "Hey, why do we have to look through all these books?"

"Neither of us wants to do this either," Akira sighed. "But this is the basis of investigation."

"But there are so many numbers... my eyes are seeing double."

"I'm sorry, I still can't find it," the master carpenter said, poking his head into the room.

"It's fine. Please keep looking though," Shikamaru said, to which the man nodded and returned to his search.

"Look for what?" Naruto asked.

"The old recommendation letter that enabled him to tell Genno's was forged."

"Why do you have to look for that?"

"Shikamaru and I have a hunch."

Naruto shrugged and returned to his reading. Akira scooted over to Shikamaru and spoke in a whisper.

"Did the people of this house simply lose it? Or did Genno take that too?"

"In either case," Shikamaru said, biting his thumb nail, "he should have wanted to get rid of it. But then why did he just get rid of the old one?"

"Quit biting your nails, Shikamaru."

"You're not my mom."

"Hey, wait..."

"What is it, Akira?"

"This here... it says that the Academy made a few payments last month." Akira shuffled through a few scrolls and parchments. "There are no plans for the Acade- what is that racket outside!?"

Akira, Shikamaru and Naruto all rushed outside to see what the commotion was. There was nothing happening at ground-level, but up in the sky was a large eagle. It was holding a blanket filled with papers which it released after a few seconds. Shikamaru reached up to catch one of the scroll, and sure enough, they were the plans that Genno had stolen. Akira and Shikamaru stared at each other, minds trying to figure out what the hell was going on.


	93. Paper Bombs for the Masses

"Naruto!"

The boy nodded and instantly knew what to do. Naruto created hundreds of clones of himself to catch all the plans. Naruto's clones swarmed the village, and it didn't take more than five minutes to collect all the stolen plans, but by that time, the eagle who'd dropped the parcel had vanished into thin air. Once all the plans had been collected, Shikamaru, Akira and Naruto checked them for inconsistencies with the master carpenter and to make sure that they were all accounted for. And then Ino showed up.

"Shikamaru! Akira!"

"What is it?" Akira said, standing up.

"The body that the Anbu Black Ops brought back... it's not Genno," Ino said.

"What!?"

"Sakura, Hinata and I all agreed. Hinata even overheard the Medical-ninja express some concerns."

"But I thought that Old Man Genno was cornered by the Anbu Black Ops an blew himself up," Naruto mumbled.

"He traded places with a corpse that he had ready just before the explosion," Shikamaru stated.

"He fooled even the Anbu... The old man is still alive," Akira sighed. "In the wise words of Shikamaru, 'this is a pain in the ass'."

"Damn, what is this man up to?"

"Wait, Shikamaru... If he is alive and all our forces are out there..."

Shikamaru's eyes widened. The two Chūnin instructed Naruto and Ino to follow them back to Lady Tsunade's office, where they found Sakura waiting for them, already speaking to the Hokage. It seemed she'd just broken the news to her that the body the Anbu had collected wasn't Genno's. Lady Tsunade looked furious.

"What now!?" she yelled. "I've just been informed that the Village Hidden in the Waterfall was really doing a practise run and that Genno isn't really Genno!"

"Our conclusion is that Genno is still alive," Akira stated, completely ignoring the Hokage's fury. "And there is a strong possibility that he his hiding in this village. He got cornered, faked his own suicide, and stole the plans so that he could make all of us turn our eyes outside of the village."

"He could have known beforehand about the training exercise in the Village Hidden in the Water and used that as an advantage. You said so yourself he spent some time there," Shikamaru said.

"But the Anbu began marking Genno because they found out that his letter of recommendation was a fake," Shizune countered.

"Yes. But was it coincidence?" Akira asked, looking straight at Tsunade. "Is it not strange that a real letter of recommendation was at the house of the carpenter he worked for?"

"Then what is his true goal?" Tsunade asked, irritated.

"If we knew the answer to that then we wouldn't be struggling this much," Shikamaru sighed.

"Shikamaru!"

"The only thing I can say now," Akira butted in, concentrating the Hokage's anger on herself rather than her teammate, "is that the number of Shinobi in Konohagakure is currently at its lowest ever. We only have the bare minimum of us here, and most of their eyes are looking outside the village! Even if Genno was walking around, humming on the streets, no one would suspect anything of him."

"Did he set a trap in the village!?" Tsunade asked.

"Could the fact that he scattered the plans around mean that he's done setting his trap?" Shizune added.

"No, this is just a diversion," Shikamaru stated.

"Then where do we look?"

"The Academy," Akira said confidently. "While looking over the master carpenter's books I discovered that he had some reconstruction work done on the Academy last month. Thing is, I could not find the plans of the Academy in his files. It also happens that Genno worked on that project."

"It was hard to think that it was a coincidence for it to disappear at this time," Shikamaru added.

"Get over there. Now."

"Yes, ma'am."

The three Genin and two Chūnin exited the woman's office and heaved a sigh. Finally that tense conversation was over. Akira performed a few handsigns, bit her thumb and spread the blood on her left arm. A small snake appeared, curled up at her feet.

"Find Kiba. Tell him and the others to meet at the Academy."

The snake nodded softly and slithered off.

"Is that something else you did with Orochimaru? Learn to summon snakes?" Ino asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I do not appreciate your tone," Akira said, gazing coldly at Ino. "But yes. It is. And it just so happens to be useful. Any complaints?"

"N-No."

"Good. Shikamaru - the Academy?"

"Sounds like a plan."

With one last glance at Ino, Akira lead the team towards the Academy with Shikamaru by her side. The rest of the team arrived almost at the same time. Hinata, Ino, Choji, Lee, Tenten and Shikamaru went to investigate one half of the Academy while Neji, Sakura, Kiba, Shino, Naruto and Akira investigated the other half. The five Genin walked beside Akira, examining everything they could. Kiba and Akamaru were sniffing about for anything suspicious, Shino had sent waves of insects to roam the nooks and crannies of the building and Neji was inspecting everything with his Byakugan while Naruto attempted to get the students out of their classes for more rigorous inspections.

"All I want for you guys is to go out in the hallway for just a few seconds so we can look around!"

"Our teacher told us to study on our own inside the classroom today," one of the kids said.

"We can't go out of the room!" another added.

"There are no teachers today! Do you see any!?" Naruto shouted, exasperated.

Akira walked in to what was going on.

"Oh, I do, I do!" another kid shouted. "Hello, Akira-sensei!"

"Huh? Akira-sensei!?"

"I taught many of these kids while the village was being rebuilt," Akira said, smiling down at a few students. She straightened herself up. "Good afternoon, everyone."

"Good afternoon, Akira-sensei!" the kids all chorused.

"My comrades and I have to check all the classes for something, all right? So can you all go in the hallway for five minutes, for me?"

"Are you sure we're allowed to, Sensei?"

"Of course. I will explain to your teacher that I asked you to if you ever get in trouble, okay?"

"Okay!"

All the students filed out of the class to allow Naruto to investigate. Akira remained outside the classroom to watch over the kids, and when she spotted a few running off, she instructed the remaining students to go back inside the classroom. The Uchiha walked behind the students that decided to skip class. On the way she found Lee, and he decided to follow the kids with her. Akira chuckled when she found the kids practicing their kunai in the basement.

"Kiba, Kai, Shikamaru and I used to come here and skip class," Akira said with a smile. "Shikamaru would nap, Kiba would play with Akamaru because he would have snuck him in, Kai and I would read manga... The teachers never found us here."

"You could learn from these kids, then," Lee said. "Practice even when the teacher isn't looking. They are the models of students. Perfect! I am so moved! I would like to take class with them!"

"Uh, right... Wait." Akira's eyes suddenly went wide. "Get Neji or Hinata!"

"What is it!?"

"That training target... It was not there before."

Akira jumped down to the floor below. The kids were startled at first, thinking they'd get in trouble for skipping class, but Akira merely ushered them away from the post and instructed Lee to bring them back to their classroom before finding one of the Hyuga. The girl walked up to it and examined the post. It was fairly new, even the wall behind it and the floor beneath it was somewhat recent. This wasn't what was listed on the reconstruction in the carpenter's books, but it would not have been hard for Genno to slip away for a few hours unnoticed. Neji, Kiba, Naruto and Choji arrived moments later.

"It's a good thing you got the kids to stop training," he said, examining the post with his Byakugan. "On the second floor, there's a paper bomb attacked to a long thread. That thread it attached to another paper bomb at the foot of the post. If a kunai were to hit the center of that target, the Academy would explode."

"What a pain," Akira sighed.

"You're starting to sound like Shikamaru," Kiba laughed.

"It is not my fault. This entire thing is making me feel like a grumpy old man!"

"Thanks, I think," Shikamaru called, coming into the basement with the rest of the team. "Hinata spotted something strange - we came to check it out."

"The center of that target is a trigger for two paper bombs. There is one at the base of the post and one beside a classroom on the seconds floor. If one of the kids hit the target, the entire school would have blown up."

"So there hasn't been anyone able to hit the center?" Kiba asked.

"That's lucky," Tenten sighed.

"Lucky, huh?" Shikamaru repeated, eyebrows furrowed.

Akira looked over at Shikamaru. Something other than luck, eh? Maybe. She frowned and looked over his shoulder, directly at Hinata. Her Byakugan was active and she was staring at the post. She made a face but didn't say anything, subtly glancing at Neji.

"What is it, Hinata?" Akira called.

"Oh, uh... Well, there's more than one thread coming out of the triggering device," she said meekly.

"Neji, double check."

The boy activated his own Byakugan and verified as well. He gasped, eyes widening and ran outside with Hinata hot on his heels. Akira glanced worriedly at Shikamaru and followed the Hyuga outside. They'd gone to the roof and were observing from up high up, eyes glancing not only at the Academy, but also at the town.

"No, way... The entire village is wired! All the paper bombs are attached to the thread that begins at the target practice post!" Neji shouted.

"It's not just 10 or 20... there are hundreds!" Hinata called.

"What!?" everyone shouted.

"This can't be happening!" Ino screamed.

"Everyone calm down," Akira said, not quite calm herself. "Tenten, can you diffuse this trigger?"

"Y-Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem," Tenten said.

"Good, you do that. Shikamaru, we need to look if there could be other starting points to this paper bomb device."

"Or he has another way of detonating - a fail-safe, if you would," Shikamaru said, looking annoyed. "Once you've diffused this trigger, put everything back as it was. Maybe if Genno doesn't know we've stopped at least this, we can get him before he detonates somewhere else. Akira, can you go outside with Neji and Hinata? Check to see if anyone is moving irregularly or has Chakra signatures that seem off to you?"

"I am on it. I will also tell Neji and Hinata map out the locations of all the terminals - the paper bombs. When they are done, have everyone else begin their removal."

"Got it."

Akira dashed outside to join Neji and Hinata on the rooftop of the Academy, passing by the window of Lady Tsunade's office. You could see the entire village from here. Akira would have been taken aback by the view had she not been on a mission with dire consequences if failed. She instructed the two Hyuga to map out the location of all the paper bombs and then looked back out to the village. The girl blinked slowly and revealed her Sharingan, immediately beginning to scan the entirety of Konohagakure.

"Here."

Akira looked over at Neji who handed her a sheet with all the locations of the paper bombs. They were placed in older, weaker structures, but also in residential areas that were less populated than others. If Genno was aiming to do damage, it wouldn't be this way. It would cause more of a panic than casualties, and who would go through all the trouble of setting these paper bombs for the sake of a good scare? Akira jumped back down to Shikamaru alongside Hinata and Neji. She handed him the plans and came up with the same deductions.

"Okay, everyone split up!" Akira shouted. "Hinata and Naruto, Shino and Tenten, Kiba and Sakura, Neji and Lee - search for the bombs and neutralize them. I will continue surveillance."

"Choji, Ino - let's go to the Hokage with this," Shikamaru said, holding up the city plans. "Everyone be careful."

"Understood!"

Everyone split up and began the removal of bombs. Akira returned to the roof and sat down, planning on a long day of surveillance.

"All right, Genno... where are you?"


	94. Kakashi the Housewife

Haruto, Umeko, Naoko and Akira had been partnered up for many more missions over the weeks that followed the whole Genno business. They'd proven to be successful not only in gathering information, but also at tactical ambushes and skillful assassinations, all without the help of any Jōnin. So far, Akira (as well as her teammates) had been on the fast track to becoming Jōnin themselves. They each recommended each other for the position, as well, even going so far as to write the letters together while sharing some tea and dango one day at lunch. To say they'd become friends was a stretch though. According to Akira, it was strictly business, though it was enjoyable to have comrades that weren't completely incompetent or horrible to be around.

Akira and her usual team of Chūnin had just come back from a week long mission in Kusagakure. Hōzuki Castle had experienced a small breakout of prisoners and the Village Hidden in the Grass had requested a few extra hands to capture the escaped prisoners. Some were easy to catch, but there were others that posed problems - mostly those who happened to be Shinobi and knew Jutsu neither Konohagakure Chūnin had ever seen or experienced. Umeko almost got her head blown up, Haruto's insects turned on him, Naoko's Chakra was eaten away and Akira's weapons had become jelly. Suffice to say that the few days off they'd receive after getting back to Konoha would be well-deserved and well-spent.

The second that each Chūnin had filled out their reports and respective paperwork, they bid each other goodbye. Akira immediately had her heart set on home, a long shower and a large bit of comfort food which would inevitably lead to deep slumber. But first, Akira had to stop by the market to get supplies because she was sure that all her perishable food items were now passed their shelf life. Still dirty and battered up from her mission, Akira wandered through the familiar stalls, smells and people making sure to avoid the ones she knew as to not end up in a vicious cycle of catching up and unnecessary talking. Unfortunately, someone spotted her and she couldn't help but let out an audible groan when said person said hello.

"What did I do to deserve that greeting?"

Akira whipped around.

"Kakashi! I apologize! I thought it was a shopkeeper or one of their children saying hello and I did not want to be caught up in the vicious cycle of catching up and explaining my mission and why I ha-" Akira cut herself off and cleared her throat. "Sorry. Um, yes, hello."

"Have you gone home yet?" Kakashi asked, his one visible expressing concern.

"No, I have not. I only had time to fill out paperwork and come here, so far," Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I intended to avoid people so that I could go home, shower, cook up some comfort then eat outside and irresponsibly fall asleep only to wake up with a sunburn."

"Get what you need and let's go."

"What, us? I intended on going home, remember?" Akira said, moving over to the fresh produce. "Toss me a kabocho."

"Yes, I do."

"Then..?"

"I'll make us something while you take you hour-long shower," Kakashi said, tossing the small pumpkin at Akira.

"Why?" Akira asked.

"Why not?"

Akira narrowed her eyes at the man and dropped the kabocho into her bag. She continued to scowl at Kakashi even as she paid the shopkeeper, and just as he began to shrink under her glare, Akira shrugged and walked off. Kakashi took this as the signal to follow her, and they walked side-by-side to the Uchiha compound. The girl dropped all the bags on the counter and began putting stuff away, but Kakashi tore her away and pushed her towards the bathroom.

"Go. I can handle it."

"But you do not know where everything goes!" Akira said, struggling against his hold.

"I think I can figure it out, kid."

"Hey, who are you calling kid!?"

"Get out of here!"

"You are impossible Kakashi Hatake!" Akira shouted as the man in question pushed her into the bathroom and shut the door. "You know what!? You are the child!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Akira huffed and stared at the door until she heard Kakashi retreat. Her hand reached for the doorknob but she hesitated and sighed. Maybe this once she'd let him do something for her. Resolving herself to leave Kakashi in her pristine kitchen, Akira undressed and stepped into the shower. She groaned happily when the warm water hit her skin. After the ordeal that was her mission, just a simple shower was like heading to the hot spring for a spa treatment. That was until she had to spend a half hour scrubbing and picking off dirt and dried blood from her skin and hair. Finally she could resume her usual ritual and exit the shower refreshed. Akira wrapped a towel around herself and her hair and stepped out of the bathroom, but she paused on her way to her room. She glanced over her shoulder, towards the kitchen. Something smelled good. Akira smiled a little and headed to her room to get dressed. She slipped on her underwear then a tank top and some shorts over top, then unwrapped her hair, freeing it from the towel. The towels were hung to dry on the railing outside her room, pinned down so they didn't fly away in the breeze. Akira grabbed a yukata from her closet and lazily draped it over her shoulders as she finally exited her room.

Akira couldn't help but lean on the doorframe that lead to the kitchen, a smirk tugging at her lips. Whatever Kakashi was making smelled good, and the girl was impressed by the fact her kitchen didn't look like a warzone. Kakashi was surprisingly tidy. Akira began to understand why he'd stared at her move last time he had been here for lunch. Watching someone cook was fascinating in a way, especially when it was someone that you'd never picture do any sort of domestic task at all. It was sort of fun to watch him, and for a split second Akira debated letting him do this more often.

Kakashi was slightly startled when Akira poked her head over his shoulder as he was stirring something over the stove.

"I could burn you."

"You would not dare."

"Maybe it'd be an accident."

"Or so you say." Akira looked around. "So, what are we having Chef?"

Kakashi let out a breathy laugh.

"Nabeyaki Udon, simmered kabocho, umeboshi onigri and some grilled mackerel I found in your freezer."

"That is a very winter-styled meal," Akira noted.

"You said you wanted comfort food. There you go."

"Hm, you listen."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Kakashi said, indignant.

"What kind of tea do you want?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes and suggested a plain green tea, which Akira immediately began to prepare. When Akira was done with the tea and she turned around to put it on the table, she found that Kakashi (and the food) were nowhere to be found. The girl frowned and took a few steps forward. Kakashi poked his head in from the entrance.

"What are you doing out there?"

"Listening to you. Did you forget you have a table out there?"

"Oh, right."

Akira laughed, a little embarrassed, and followed Kakashi outside. The shadows were now twice as long as themselves, the air was damp and cool smelling faintly of the meal Kakashi had cooked up, the sun dipped lower in the sky until the trees that lined the garden stood as black statues silhouetted against the darkening sky. Something moved to the girl's right and her head snapped in its direction, but there was nothing there. She activated her Sharingan to make sure, and as suspected, there was no movement. Akira frowned.

"You all right?"

Akira shook her head and turned back to Kakashi, eventually sitting down at the table set on the rear engawa which was facing the lake.

"Yes... I simply thought I saw something. I am probably just tired."

"Weren't you hearing things a while back?" Kakashi asked, serving the food.

"I was not hearing things!" Akira said in a huff. "Just shut up and eat."

Kakashi pulled down his mask and chuckled quietly. Akira stared at him for a moment, finding herself smiling. Though the second Kakashi looked at her, she lowered her eyes, digging into the substantial amount of food in front of her. She'd have leftovers for days, and it would actually be decent leftovers considering that fact it tasted great.

"And?"

"You would make a good housewife."

"Housewife!?"

Akira smiled at the indignant look on Kakashi's face and burst into laughter. It was sweet and soft, a sound that Kakashi hadn't heard in a long time and would wait a thousand years to hear again. Soon he found himself laughing too, and the echoes of laughter rang through the air and into the stillness of the approaching night.


	95. Bright Yellow Eyes

Akira's breath came in small spurts. Behind her, pale kimono sleeves floated in the wind as if it would make her faster. Besider her, she could hear the howls of dogs and soft footsteps of her partner. Her hair fluttered wildly behind her and she threw herself forward even more. Her lungs and heart were pumping, but she could barely feel it even considering the speed at which she and Kakashi were running. Akira only began hearing the throbbing of her heart once they came to a halt in a small clearing of trees that overlooked Takumi Village. In the shadow, cast by the moon, a chill crept over the uncut grass. The scent of late fall came with small gusts of cool wind, and every flutter of a leaf caught their attention.

"That's the Village of Artisans, isn't it?" Kakashi's ninken, Pakkun, said.

"Yeah. It's a village of professionals that develop ninja tools," Kakashi explained. "The exceptional ninja tools they develop are also supplied to us in the Five Great Nations. But there's been a strange rumour recently..."

"A strange rumour?"

"Something about them developing the ultimate weapon and attempting to antagonize the Five Great Nations," Akira said casually.

"In other words, we should search the village and verify whether there is that ultimate weapon, right?" Pakkun asked.

"That just about sums it up."

"Piece of cake."

One by one, Kakashi's ninja hounds disappeared from sight and began making their way towards Takumi Village. Now all Kakashi and Akira could do was wait, and for Kakashi that meant reading his books. As for Akira, she sat at the edge of the clearing and stared down at the village, absent-mindedly playing with the ends of her hair. Though after the fourth time hearing Kakashi trying to suppress a giggle, she suddenly turned towards him and chucked a rock at him. It hit him straight in the head and knocked him to the ground.

"Be quiet, you pervert," the girl hissed.

"No one can hear us from here," Kakashi groaned, picking himself up from off the ground.

"I know that! I just do not want to hear you giggle at those stupid books!"

Kakashi screeched a little when Pakkun came out of the ground in front of him, and he frantically put his book away. Akira rolled her eyes at him. Even his dogs didn't know what perversions he read.

"What an idiot," Akira sighed.

"Hey! Something strange is going on," the dog said.

"What is it?" Kakashi said, voice strained, trying to hide the obviousness of the hand holding his book behind his back.

"There's not a soul in the village!"

"What!?" Akira gasped, moving towards Kakashi and Pakkun.

"I also found something terrible on top of that!"

"Let's go, then," Kakashi said.

Akira swiftly went up behind him and grabbed the book of his hands. Pakkun stared, confused, as Kakashi fell forwards as a result of his book behind thrown behind his head. Akira had read the first few sentences of the page he was on. When Kakashi had recovered from behind hit twice in the head, he and Akira followed Pakkun into town. Then ran past quiet streets and empty houses, until they reached the center of the village and made their way inside what seemed to be a crypt. In the main room was a large stone coffin with five smaller ones arranged in a semi-circle in front of it. The large coffin had its top removed, and Akira gazed inside it only to find that it was empty.

"It's Seimei's coffin, the founder of the village. Even his body is gone..." Kakashi noted.

"This is serious," Pakkun said, worried.

"The artisans abandoned their village," Akira said. "But where did they go?"

Akira frowned. Who would abandon their village just like that, and for what reasons? Just then there was a loud screech. Akira turned to the entrance of the crypt and held out her arm so that an eagle could land. It picked off a scroll from its ankle and dropped it into Akira's hand, then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What the... that's an eagle from the Sand Village!" Pakkun said, eyes wide.

"Kakashi, will you be all right on your own?" Akira said, still reading the contents of the scroll.

"Well, I suppose I wou-"

"Good. I need to go."

Akira finally looked up from the scroll and shoved it in her pouch.

"What do you mean, you have to go!?"

"Special request from Gaara." Akira stared at Kakashi. "I will not leave until I am sure you will be all right."

"I'll be fine. Go."

Akira nodded stiffly and placed her hands in a special handsign before disappearing from Kakashi's view. The girl reappeared in a position she'd marked on one of her previous missions in the Land of Rivers. She landed on a thick branch in a tree and wasted no time in activating her sensory technique. Soon, everything in her line of sight was black. There were no blue flames anywhere, so Akira ran off in the direction of the Land of Wind.

The message Gaara had sent wasn't a very detailed one. It specifically requested her presence for a pursuit of four criminals who had captured one of his students, but there was not much more other than the start and direction of the pursuit. It had begun in a Sunagakure training ground while Gaara and his siblings were training a group of Genin, and the criminals had gone in the direction of the Land of Rivers. From the position where she'd appeared and the direction she was going (and if her calculations were correct) Akira would be flanking the three Sand Ninja within the hour if she kept this speed.

Akira sped up. An hour wasn't fast enough. An innocent child's life was potentially at risk, and this was a special request from Gaara after all. She hadn't seen him since the incident with Kimimaro, and would be lying if she said she wasn't eager to see him after all this time. Akira wondered how he was doing back in the Village Hidden in the Sand.

After a few kilometers, Akira stopped to check for Chakra signatures in the area again. In seconds her surroundings turned black. When she looked around, she spotted a concentrated amount of Chakra a ways away. Either it was one person with lots of Chakra or it was a tight group of people. In any case, Akira directed herself towards it. She dashed through the trees, jumping from branch to branch with as little sound as possible.

All of a sudden there was a large gust of wind that nearly blew Akira away. She stopped and held onto a tree for a moment until the wind died down.

"Temari..."

Akira launched herself forward And barely had time to register the scene before her when she raised her leg and kicked an unknown woman in the head. Akira gently landed on a cut tree, which looked exactly like all the others in the area. This was Temari's Jutsu for sure. Akira turned back to look at Temari. She was alone.

"Thanks, kid," the Sand Ninja said with a smirk.

"Where are Gaara and Kankuro?" Akira asked, looking back to the woman she'd just kicked - she was starting to stand up again.

"Went up ahead. Go catch up with them, I can handle her."

"You got it."

Akira kicked off the tree stump and dashed off in the direction Temari indicated. Soon, the trees came back to their full length, which meant that another of the four criminals was bound to be close and try to eliminate either Gaara or Kankuro. All of a sudden, they came into view, but just long enough for her to see something strike at them from the bushes. Akira kept going. And then Gaara came back into view, running ahead of her without Kankuro. Eventually she reached him, dropping down beside him for a moment. There was a young boy in front of them.

"Long time no see, Kankuro," Akira said with a small tone of amusement. "Think you can take care of this 'punk'?"

"You betcha. Make sure Gaara doesn't get himself caught," Kankuro replied.

"Caught?"

"Didn't Temari tell you? Kidnapping the kid is a lure for Gaara."

Akira cursed loudly and dashed off after Gaara. It didn't take long for her to reach him, and once they were side by side, Akira spotted the two other perpetrators ahead. There was a barrel strapped to the back of one of the two men and there was a young girl tied down inside it.

"Did you get taller?" Akira asked, smirking a little. "I think you are finally taller than me."

"Does that mean I get to call you short, now?" Gaara replied, face showing as much emotion as a wall.

"Wow, you joked. I am impressed."

One of the criminals suddenly came to a halt and swung a large flail at the two allies, causing them to drop down to the ground to avoid the attack. The other kept going ahead with the young girl.

"You won't get through here," the man said in a loud voice. "Gaara, fight me."

"Do not leave me out of this!" Akira complained.

"I have no interest in you."

"If I fight, she fights," Gaara said calmly.

"Very well," the criminal conceded.

The man began swinging his flail again and shot it directly at Gaara. In a split second, the sand in Gaara's gourd flew up in front of him and blocked the attack. Akira smirked. If this man was going to attack so weakly, he stood no chance against her and Gaara. And what could that say about the other three of his team. However, Akira was unpleasantly surprised when Gaara attacked him with his sand. He shot it forward and trapped the enemy inside his Sand Coffin, crushing him into oblivion, but the look on Gaara's face didn't look like it was successful. The sand slowly fell to the ground, lifeless, with the criminal unharmed. Akira stared at the man's armour. There was a lion emblem on his chest, and its eyes glowed red before dimming down into black.

"His amour absorbs Chakra," Akira growled. "I suppose we will have to do this the traditional way."

Akira rolled her shoulders and pulled out her Katana, twirling them in hand. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. However she jolted out of her peaceful state when bright yellow eyes flashed before her, disorienting her for a second. Akira had been confused for a split-second too long. When she refocused, the flail was coming towards her at incredible speed and without enough time to evade it...


	96. The Ultimate Weapon

The flail was getting closer by the second, but Akira didn't have any time to react. It would hit her directly in the face if nothing was done about it in time. She herself couldn't do anything, but she refused to look away, watching the flail draw nearer every time she breathed in and out. Then all of a sudden, a wall of sand flew in front of her face, catching the flail when it was mere inches from her face. Akira let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and looked at Gaara over her shoulder. He was frowning slightly, which meant he'd noticed her momentary lapse of control over herself.

Just then, Akira began soaring upwards. With his arms still crossed over his chest, Gaara had created a pillar of sand beneath Akira's and his own feet, causing the two to soar high up into the sky. The criminal followed as well, as Gaara hadn't relinquished his hold on the man's flail that was still stuck in the hand in front of Akira's face.

"Get down."

Akira obeyed the soft spoken command and knelt down on the spot. Moments later, the flail disappeared from view as Gaara was using it to swing the enemy around like the weapon he was using himself. And then all of a sudden Gaara released the sand from the flail and the man was sent flying at the same speed he was spinning at. He crashed hundreds of meters away, disappearing into the trees below them.

"That was too easy," Akira said, slowly rising.

"It was," Gaara agreed.

Akira looked around. She could see the areas where Kankuro and Temari were fighting, as there were large gusts of wind and rises of dust in both areas. The girl frowned and looked in the opposite direction. There was someone jumping down from one of the taller trees in the area. Akira's eyes widened and she looked at the waterfall nearby.

"The pattern... We are in its center. This is a water vein!"

"That puts me at a disadvantage," Gaara noted.

"But not me. I suppose we will not be fighting fire with fire, but water with water."

Akira swiftly put away her Katana in her uwa-obi and got into a grounded stance. She hesitated for a moment, thinking that the yellow eyes of Orochimaru would flash before her again, but this was to protect Gaara after all. So Akira took a deep breath and closed her eyes in an attempt to calm herself. She waited until her body was completely loose, ignoring the crashing noises below her. When she felt a slight wind rise to her face, Akira opened her eyes and saw a large dragon of water coming straight for her. She then softly punched the air in front of her, using as much Chakra she could muster, and parted the water dragon, cutting it in half and sending all the water falling downwards.

Akira looked down at the pillar of sand they were on. It was dark and filled with water, making it impossible for Gaara to use. Akira grounded herself again and concentrated her Chakra once more, then slowly raised her arms to the sky, gently pulling the water out of the sand below them. In a few moments, there was a large ball of water above her, and Akira tossed it in the direction of the man Gaara had tossed earlier. It hit him just as he was coming back towards them, and he fell to the ground again. And the second he rose again, Rock Lee and Naruto jumped in from the forest to help, kicking the man's flail to his face and the man himself behind the head. Akira and Gaara jumped down to join them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Gaara! Why's this guy all wet, though?" Naruto said. Then he spotted Akira. "Huh, it's you!? What're you doing here? I though you were on a mission with Kakashi!"

"Got cut short. Gaara asked for an assist," Akira said simply. "As you can see we have got things quite under control."

"There's no time, for that. Go after the girl, we'll take care of things here!"

"We'll take care of this in no time," Gaara said simply, taking a step forward. "Akira."

"Got it."

"Got what? You didn't even say anything!?" Naruto whined.

"Naruto, please watch while two ninja work seamlessly together!" Lee said, dramatically enthusiastic. "This will be a moment to cherish and learn from!"

Naruto grumbled, but Akira couldn't help but laugh. Lee had a point. She and Gaara did seem to work well together, even without any sort of planning. They simply thought the same way, understood things similarly and acted upon situations in a similar fashion. That could prove to be useful if ever Akira and Gaara had to team up again for one reason or another.

Akira and Gaara both stepped forwards, facing the enemy. Gaara fashioned himself a harpoon made of sand and the second he threw it, Akira hardened it further with a stream of searing flames. Within moments it pierced right through the criminal, even through his supposedly indestructible armour. The man fell to his knees, groaning in pain. And just as Gaara was about to deliver the final blow, a loud cry distracted him.

"Matsuri."

"You guys go, we can finish him off," Naruto said.

Akira and Gaara nodded, and ran off in the direction of the scream. The glided through the trees, swiftly and quietly jumping from branch to branch until they came upon a clearing. It was a valley, tall cliffs surrounding a flat and open area. Gaara and Akira stopped for a minute to observe, and once they spotted a fourth criminal running off with a child strapped to his back, they took off after him without hesitation. They had him cornered, now.

"You have nowhere to go," Gaara said, surprisingly softly. "Give Matsuri back."

"You think you've got me cornered, now? Don't get the wrong idea, you're the one who's been cornered," the man said. "Gaara, you may very well be called the ultimate weapon, but I think this one could maybe rival you now that you're Chakra is low."

"She can rival me even when my Chakra isn't depleted."

"High praise," Akira said with a smile.

"I don't see any weapons... There's nothing less scary than a Shinobi with no weapons."

Akira quickly pulled out both her Katana and twirled them in hand by reflex. The man narrowed his eyes and dropped Matsuri on the ground with a loud thump. She made a small noise, which meant she was at least alive, but Akira couldn't tell much more than that. Then the criminal pulled out a large sword with a turquoise bead at its tip and pointed it to the sky.

"Come, Infinite Peacock Armour! Fang Release Dark Sword! Flying Double Edge Sword!"

All of a sudden, three balls of white light flew from the depths of the forest and hit the man before Gaara and Akira. All of a sudden, the weapons of his comrades had attached themselves to him, giving the man a second sword, the Chakra absorbing armour, as well as three tail-like blades coming from his back. Akira frowned. This was going to be annoying, if not difficult.

"You'll realise that the likes of a mere ninja is no match for the tools created by us artisans! Fang Release Dark Sword!"

The three tail-like blades suddenly came directly for Akira and Gaara. The girl stood in front of Gaara and swung her blades out, hitting two of them out of the way, but one of them managed to cut her shoulder. She cursed herself for not bringing her armour on her mission with Kakashi. The blade wouldn't have wounded her if she'd been wearing it.

"It seems it is I who has the edge," the man chuckled darkly. He turned to Gaara. "You're carrying a monster inside you, right? Now, isn't it about time you help out your friend and use the power of Shukaku?"

"Do not, Gaara," Akira warned as she deflected the moving blades with her Katana again. "Kankuro said that you were the target of this mess, what if it is really Shukaku that he wants?"

The criminal swung one of his swords at Akira and a large whirlwind came out from it, which blew Akira away into one side of the cliff. Her body hit it hard, and it knocked the breath out of her and disoriented the girl for a moment. Just then something bright orange came into view, and when Akira's eyes could focus, she saw that it was Naruto, freeing Matsuri. Akira looked to her left and saw Gaara narrowly trying to dodge the tail-like blades, but he was running low on Chakra and close combat fighting wasn't exactly his forte.

"Hey! I'll be your opponent from now on!" Naruto shouted at the criminal.

However he was blown away by a simple gust of wind as well. Akira finally stood and headed over to Gaara while Naruto and the man were conversing about the criminal's plans of eradicating the need for Shinobi with their ultimate weapon. Gaara had been wounded. There was blood coming from his shoulder and soaking into his clothes.

"I'm fine," Gaara said, seeing the worried look on Akira's face.

"Clearly, you are not," Akira countered. "Your Chakra is nearly depleted, as well. Stay here. Naruto and I will work things out."

"Be careful."

Akira stared intently at Gaara for a moment before nodding stiffly and leaving his side. However, the decision to leave him was instantly regretted as the moment she was out of the way, a large piece of metal flew up from the ground and curved above Gaara, then more pieces of metal came out from underneath it and created a dome around Gaara, like a prison.

"Gaara!"

"Shut up, you foolish girl!" the man shouted. "What we wanted was Shukaku's Chakra, so I suppose you were right, in a way. Oh, how we've waited so long for this." He turned to Gaara. "Now, turn into the Shukaku and infuse me with your power!"

Akira made a run for the metal dome, but as she did the man closed the remaining openings so that no one could get inside or out. He performed a few handsigns and shouted something, then, all of a sudden, the dome began to glow blue. It was Chakra, Gaara's Chakra being pulled out of him. Akira's eyes widened the second she heard Gaara scream.

"GAARA!"

Akira ran at the dome again, but stopped when something came out of the side of the cliff. It was the coffin that had been removed from the mausoleum she and Kakashi had visited the day previous. It floated down to the criminal and landed in front of him, before the lid came off to reveal the corpse of Lord Seimei. The criminal shouted something and all of a sudden, he turned bright white and disintegrated. The dust floated over to the corpse and then, like magic, Lord Seimei walked out of the coffin seemingly unharmed. Gaara shouted again.

Akira ignored the resurrected man, which was probably a stupid decision, but she couldn't focus on anything other than Gaara's screams. She had to. Akira had a feeling that if she kept hearing him in so much pain, she wouldn't be able to control herself - the monster within herself would come out as well.

So, Akira ran over to the metal dome and pulled out a kunai. She tried prying the metal segments apart, but that wasn't working. She managed to slide a thin blade between two pieces, but the blade snapped the second she tried to wedge the thing open. Gaara screamed again, and Akira knew that he was in more pain than she could ever imagine. Frantically, Akira even tried lifting the dome with a few Earth-style Jutsu, but it was no use. Nothing was working. Akira was starting to feel panicked. So much so that she stupidly began clawing at the metal dome with her bare hands. The tips of her fingers soon became bloody, her fingernails chipped.

Gaara screamed again. There was only one thing she could try now, and that was something that had only worked once before. It didn't help that Akira had no idea if this is what had worked last time, but there was nothing else she could think of.

"Gaara!" Akira shouted, helplessly kneeling on top of the metal dome. "Gaara! Can you hear me!?"

Akira could hear something down inside the dome, but it wasn't screaming, so she took it as a sign he was listening.

"Gaara, I know you are low on Chakra, but I also know that you can fight him! Fight Shukaku, Gaara! Do not give in, you are stronger than this!"

"Why do you fight so hard for this monster?" the resurrected Seimei suddenly asked.

Akira turned her head and came face to face with him. Naruto was fallen, sitting up against the side of the cliff all bruised and cut up. Akira's jaw clenched at the sight of him, and she growled angrily when she heard Gaara's screams resume. It was happening...

"Gaara is no monster," Akira said in a low growl. "Gaara is a friend, and I will protect my friends until my last breath!"

"Very well... Then die!"


	97. A Secret Offer

Everyone involved in this mess had arrived at what seemed like the right time. Temari, Shikamaru and Ino had finished their fight and joined; Kankuro, Kiba and Choji were finished as well; and the rest of the backup which consisted of Neji, Sakura, Hinata and Shino had landed in the valley as well, even Lee had caught up with them. They were watching the scene before them, hesitant to jump in and help due to the three powerful and volatile beings in front of them. And then they all took a quick and cautious step back as everything seemed to happen at once.

Akira's own screams mingled with the sound of the metal dome exploding. Shukaku had begun to take over, and half of Gaara was now the demon. She was lucky, Akira thought to herself. The transformation was willful, but just barely. Any longer and the monstrous changes befalling her at the moment wouldn't have come willingly: her limbs were elongating again, pulling her muscles and bones in an extremely painful manner. Crystal-like protrusions slowly grew out of her forehead like an ice crown, just as her teeth and nails became longer and razor sharp as well. The dragon-like features that reshaped her face were slowly molding as well, and her silky black hair had suddenly become rough. The monster had been unleashed.

"This is quite an interesting development," Seimei said. "You have a demon inside you as well."

"Gaara!" Akira shouted, ignoring Seimei. Gaara's green eye and Shukaku's yellow stared at her. "Kick him out. I will protect you even at the cost of my life!"

Both eyes glared into Akira's red Sharingan eyes, and for a moment it seemed like Gaara was going to attack her. But then the unthinkable happened. Gaara's eyes closed tightly, and after a few moments of struggle, the sand that formed Shukaku detached and fell to the ground, returning Gaara to normal. When his eyes opened, Akira was pleasantly greeted with their normal green colour.

"So, you couldn't maintain the Shukaku with your Chakra?" Seimei chuckled darkly.

"I'll help... the friends important to me... with my own power..." Gaara said between heaved breaths.

"How absurd. A Shinobi doesn't need emotions. It is those who suppress their emotions that gain great power."

"Do you think I gained this power from being emotionless?" Akira said in a low, gravelly voice.

"If your power stems from emotion, then you are finished. This is as far as you go, Monsters of the Sand and Leaf Villages."

Akira and Gaara stared at each other and smirked. Both of them knew exactly what the other was thinking. Akira's long fingers performed numerous handsigns, and then she stomped the ground below her. All of a sudden, the cliffside began falling, turning the collapsed rocks into dust... into sand. Gaara quickly slammed hit hands together and created a tsunami of sand, which he used to cover Seimei and the entire valley. Meanwhile, Akira was certain it wouldn't keep Seimei down, so with the power from her Curse Mark form, she drew water from the closest source and shaped it into a spear. The second Seimei emerged from the sand, she charged at him and pierced the man through the heart.

"How... Why..."

"Someone who gave up on being a human and was reborn as a ninja tool could never understand," Akira said, her voice slowly returning to normal as she withdrew from the Curse Mark's power.

"I don't understand! Why..?"

And with those final words, Seimei collapsed to the ground and dissolved into a coloured mist which dissipated into the air around them. Akira let out a breath of relief and turned to Gaara, smiling brightly. She could have sworn she saw Gaara smile as well, but she was more preoccupied with the fact that he was falling to the ground. Akira dashed over and skidded on her knees to catch him just before he touched the ground.

"Sakura!" Akira shouted.

Sakura didn't need to think twice. She rushed over to Akira and Gaara and gave the latter a once over. After a few seconds, she smiled, relieved.

"He's fine, just extremely fatigued after using his Chakra all at once."

"Good," Akira sighed.

"You saw it, right?" Temari asked the Uchiha. "He suppressed Shukaku of his own volition thanks to what you said."

"I do not think it can all be attributed to me, Temari. I am sure Gaara had other reasons, as well."

Akira smiled up at Temari, and Temari smiled back. Akira then picked herself up and then Gaara, mind set on reaching Konohagakure. He was heavier than last time. It probably had something to do with the fact he had gotten taller.

"Hey, we can carry him, you know? We didn't just go through hell with that Seimei, guy," Kankuro offered.

Akira smiled, but said nothing. Instead, she kept walking all the while carrying Gaara, and sooner rather than later the entire gang of ninja made it back to the Leaf Village for treatment and well-deserved rest. Akira had handed Gaara over to some Medical-nin, and then proceeded to refuse medical treatment for herself. Naruto was admitted to the hospital as well, which he didn't like at all, but eventually he gave in simply because he was put in the same room as Gaara.

Akira went home to clean herself up and change out of her cut up clothes. She frowned, staring at them. They were beyond repair, which meant Akira would have to take a trip to town to buy clothes like a proper girl, something she dreaded. But she'd delay that until she couldn't any longer. For now, she would wear a long kimono shirt, which could almost act as a short dress, and a simple pair of pants. Upon exiting her home, Akira didn't have any weapons on her, which made her feel somewhat naked, but going to visit Naruto and Gaara in the hospital didn't require such things. Both of them were sleeping when she'd arrived, so Akira took this as an opportunity to get some rest herself. She sat on a chair beside Gaara's bed and leaned back, staring out the window until sleep claimed her.

Akira woke some time later with a stiff neck. She straightened herself and gazed ahead, instantly spotting Master Jiraya talking to Naruto. She smiled. Finally he was going to get the training he'd kept whining about this whole time. Both of them left out the window, thinking that Akira and Gaara were still sleeping, but neither of them were. Akira looked over to Gaara. He was lying flat on his back with his eyes open.

"Feeling better?" Akira asked.

Gaara turned his head towards Akira and nodded.

"Good."

"You saved me again," Gaara said. "That's the third time."

"I suppose you will just have to save me three times to get even," Akira said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"Do not thank me, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Besides... it was not me who made Shukaku recede."

"It was," Gaara said, going back to staring at the ceiling. "What you said made me think... that I want to work hard and become an existence acknowledged by others. Ties with other people... until our last encounter was just hate and murderous intent for me. However, there's something I've understood just a little the ties you and Naruto go so far for. Suffering, sorrow and happiness can be shared with someone. Hearing you shouting my name, telling me that you believed in me... telling me that you would protect me until your own death. That is what truly made Shukaku go away."

"You give me too much credit," Akira said, looking away, a little embarrassed.

"What will you do now?"

The question caught Akira off-guard. What would she do? Naruto was leaving to train for two years, Sakura was going to be training full-time, Kiba and Shikamaru would be busy with missions, and so would she, most likely. But was there something else she could be doing? Maybe she too could go on a training adventure, leave for two years with Kakashi and come back as an entirely different person. Maybe she should ask for permission to go on her own, explore the world and help people in need along the way. Or maybe she should just keep going as she was, as a Shinobi faithfully serving the Leaf Village and its people.

"For now, at least... I do not know."

"I might have an idea."

* * *

The weather was the kind that felt like a kiss of summer without the fiery heat of midday in July. The grass was a soft green that almost had a hint of blue and in the sky were enough pristine white clouds to show how beautiful the sky was. Akira's skin was warm underneath the sun, and she was glad to be free of the clutches of the hospital now that Gaara was fully recovered. She and Shikamaru stood in front of the three Sand siblings at the entrance to the village. Akira closed her eyes for a moment and focused just on sound. There it was, the blackbird's song, almost singing goodbye to the three siblings. Akira opened her eyes and let the daylight flood into her dark eyes again, bringing the late September day back into focus.

"We owe you one," Temari said.

"No, we just repaid the debt from last time," Shikamaru countered. "Next time we'll settle things more properly."

"Well, this time I'll acknowledge the fact you didn't cry."

"You cried?" Akira chuckled.

"Not again. Just like a woman..."

"What about Naruto?" Gaara asked.

"He is leaving today on a training mission with Master Jiraya," Akira explained.

"Jiraya? One of the Sannin?" Kankuro asked.

"Yeah. Such a pain. He's gonna come back even stronger, this time," Shikamaru sighed, albeit with a smile.

Akira chuckled a little. It was true. Naruto was going to come back stronger than ever, especially since Jiraya was going to be training him.

"What about you?" Gaara asked, looking at Akira. "My offer still stands."

"I have a few things to do here," Akira said, playfully punching Shikamaru on the shoulder. "But when I am done, I will take you up on that offer, Gaara."

"What offer!?" Temari, Kankuro and Shikamaru all chorused.

Akira and Gaara laughed.

"Until next time, Gaara of the Sand."

"See you around, Akira Uchiha."

Gaara turned around, and Kankuro followed, questioning him intensely. Temari followed after throwing one last insult at Shikamaru, and then the two Konoha ninja watched them go until they were out of sight.

"So, what is that offer you're going to take Gaara up on?" Shikamaru asked.

Akira only smiled.


	98. Camellia

**Hello, all! I'd like to inform you that this is the first chapter of the interlude between the original anime and Naruto Shippuden. There will be a few chapters between now and then to give you a taste of "Akira down time" as well as discover what the hell Gaara's proposal was. If there's anything you want me to correct, develop on or keep doing the way I am now then let me know in the comments section or drop me a private message! Though, for now, here's that festival chapter, many of you have been asking for! Thanks for reading :)**

* * *

"Oh, no. No, no, no. This is not happening."

This autumn morning had Akira's spirits soaring beyond the colourful leaves above. The brilliant shafts of sunlight touched the carpet of red and gold leaves, laid out for a feudal lord. Each breath of fresh air filled her with the urge to sing out loud just to hear her voice echo through her home's garden. The flowers looked so alive in the sunshine that Akira found it hard to believe they'd die with the coming winter.

But that was about ten minutes ago. Now, Akira was feeling only dread.

Today was the festival of lights. As a child, Akira loved this festival more than her own birthday. In the month leading up to it, her life was a frenetic whirl of getting her special yukata made and her face paint well-thought out. Today tough, as a young woman, the things required to go to a festival were different. Sure there was still a beautiful yukata to plan for, but instead of the childish face paint, proper makeup was in store for women her age. And that wouldn't do. Though it seemed that that wasn't getting through to Sakura and Ino, who'd shown up with Hinata that morning, convinced that Akira was going to go to the festival all dressed up.

"Oh, yes. Oh, yes, yes, yes!" Ino shouted, storming into Akira's living room.

"Ino, get out of my house!" Akira shouted back.

"Come on! Today's the festival! You gotta look pretty and go have some fun, let loose a little!"

"Ino, I have no time for childish pleasantries. I have work to do. As a Chūnin-"

"Chūnin, my ass!" Ino complained. "It's been a month since Naruto and the Sand siblings left, and all you've been doing is working! You know, I'm starting to think that the Hokage suspended all Shinobi duties today because of you."

"Duties are suspended!?" Akira groaned.

"That's right! So that's why Sakura, Hinata and I are here - to pretty you up for Kiba and Shikamaru so that you can all relax and have some fun!"

"For Kiba and Shikamaru? What are you on about, Ino Pig? Clearly, she needs to get pretty for Kakashi-sensei."

Akira frowned and backed up from the spot she was in, hoping to escape the madness that had invaded her home. Pretty herself up? No chance that was happening. And for Shikamaru? Kiba? Kakashi? Ino and Sakura sure had a strange sense of humour. Unfortunately, Akira was betrayed by the quiet Hinata, who pushed her back into her own home before she could escape.

"Hinata, you traitor!" Akira shouted.

"I-I'm sorry, Akira... I just think that they're right," Hinata muttered. "You need some time off. You've been working yourself non-stop for a month. I don't think you need to pretty yourself up for anyone, but you do need some time for yourself once in a while."

Akira sighed loudly. She hated to admit it, but Hinata was right. She had been working way too hard for her own good, and it was starting to show. Sometime Akira forgot that she had friends who cared and worried for her. It surprised her that Sakura was there though, considering she'd been working just as hard as her. Ino and Hinata probably had to convince her as well.

"Fine. Do what you must."

Ino cheered loudly and dragged Akira around the house until she found her bedroom. She pushed Akira onto her bed and began raiding her closet, looking for anything that was up to her high standards. Ino eventually held out her arms, filled with clothing, and she screeched loudly.

"You have so many nice things, why don't you wear them!?"

"Because they are not practical for everyday wear. I move around a lot, and yukata are not known for their flexible fabrics," Akira said with a shrug. "I only own those in case I am called to an important meeting or I am required to attend a function."

"You know, that does seem like a waste," Sakura commented as she looked at all the kimono Ino had dropped on the bed. "You probably paid a lot for them too, judging by the quality."

"Not really. Some of them belonged to my mother, the others I got at a discount because I am an Uchiha."

Hinata, Sakura and Ino gave Akira a deadpan look.

"Of course," Ino sighed. "Stupid Uchiha... Anyway, try these on."

"All of them?" Akira asked, suddenly scared.

"Yes, all of them. Well, only the yukata. We can't have you wearing this," the girl commented, holding up a mofuku.

"I suppose I will be trying on ten different yukata, then."

"What about that one?" Hinata asked, pointing to the one hanging on the coat rack in the corner of Akira's room.

"Oh, I wear that one around the house. People have seen me wear that here, I do not think it would be appropriate for me to wear it to a festival."

"People have seen you walk around in this flimsy thing?" Ino asked, giving Akira a look.

"Hey! Usually they show up uninvited," Akira complained. "I am not psychic, I cannot tell when someone is going to drop by!"

"Who's seen you wear this?" Sakura and Ino asked, suddenly looking very threatening.

"No one."

Akira grabbed the first yukata and ran off to the bathroom to change and avoid the question. It wasn't like her to avoid questions, but ones like these? They didn't need to know that Kiba, Shikamaru and Kakashi regularly showed up to her place uninvited, right? Especially since they saw it fit to comment that Akira had to "pretty herself up" for them.

It took a while, but eventually Ino, Sakura, Hinata and Akira agreed on a yukata for the latter to wear, this meant that the other girls could go get their things that they'd stashed by the door and change into their yukata as well. Then the real torture commenced, as Sakura attempted to put makeup on Akira's face. The girl kept moving her head backwards to observe what Sakura was doing, but that didn't help when she was trying to put eyeliner on the Uchiha and ended up stabbing her in the eye instead, and then Hinata spent the next twenty minutes battling to get her hair into something other than a ponytail.

In the end, Akira had simple makeup on her face and her hair remained loose but smoother than it usually was. Both girls had given up their battles with Akira's face and hair. In all honesty, Akira was pleased. She didn't think that the small cat-eye or the red lipstick took anything away from her usual appearance. If anything it accentuated it. That didn't mean she'd agree to do this ever again.

Finally all the girls were ready. Ino had her deep purple and floral yukata on and was attempting to pin up the last lock of her blond hair, Sakura was waiting patiently on Akira's bed in her soft pink yukata and so was Hinata, nervously flattening her white outfit. Ino let out an impatient whimper when the lock she'd just secured fell out, but the four women were finally able to leave when Sakura stepped in much to Ino's dismay.

The festival had already begun. Along the usually dark street shone hundreds of lamps; illuminating with their flickering candles. The light was cast every colour by the tinted paper and Akira couldn't help but be reminded of candy. Pinks, blues, greens and yellows created a mosaic of colour on all the faces that walked through the streets, and they shone in everyone's wide eyes. There was music playing somewhere in the distance, and Akira couldn't help but hum along to the rhythm as she and her friends weaved their way through the crowd to get to the dango shop where they were meeting Kiba and Shikamaru. There were little games to play along the way, each at a different stand, and there were also different carts offering special foods and fun masks to wear. Akira bought herself a kitsune mask to match her red and gold kimono, and put it on the side of her head so that she could still see where Ino and Sakura were dragging her and Hinata.

"Jeez, took you guys long enough!" Akira heard Shikamaru complain up ahead.

"Well excuse me, Shikamaru. It's not my fault your best friend is the worst person to dress up!" Ino complained.

"I told you that I did not want to go. You are the ones who forced me!" Akira said, finally getting to Shikamaru and Kiba.

Kiba and Shikamaru stared at her for a moment, blinking stupidly.

"So this is what you look like when you're dressed as a proper girl," Shikamaru noted.

"I am a proper girl, you idiot!"

"What he's trying to say is that you look nice," Kiba laughed.

"Oh... Um, well, thank you, I suppose," Akira said awkwardly. She wasn't sure how to accept the compliment properly. "Honestly, you have these tyrants to thank for this... apparently appealing appearance. Wow, talk about a tongue twister..."

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you this nervous before," Shikamaru said.

"Shut up. You try wearing a fancy outfit in public for the first time, Mr. I-Am-Only-Wearing-A-Happi."

"Hey, we're guys. A happi is all that's required."

"So unfai-"

"PICTURE BOOTH!" Ino shouted.

She proceeded to drag Akira, Sakura, Hinata, Kiba and Shikamaru into the photo booth for a series of pictures, in all of which Shikamaru was frowning. Kiba refused to smile properly, Akira looked more terrified than anything else, and Hinata was only half in the picture because Sakura and Ino wanted to be in the center of it. When they got out of the photo booth, Akira managed to snatch the best pictures before anyone noticed they'd printed, then watched as Ino and Sakura fought to find the better pictures of themselves.

The group of friends then made their way towards the festival games, and spent a good amount of time and money there, trying to win prizes. Kiba managed to win most of them with Akira coming in a close second, but they ended up giving most of their prizes to Sakura and Ino because they apparently had begun a competition to see who would get the most prizes and items at the end of the night. They all met Choji by the food stands, and eventually they spotted Neji, Lee and Tenten over by the booth where Akira had gotten her mask. Everyone seemed to be there, as Akira even managed to spot Asuma, Kurenai and Guy-sensei in the crowd, eating their fill of yakitori at the same stand as Choji. Everyone except for one person...

Akira managed to slip away from her group by putting on her mask and rushing into the crowd. Once she was lost amidst the cheering adults and giggling children, Akira removed her mask and weaved her way through the crowd in an attempt to spot a certain ninja. Kakashi didn't seem like the kind of guy to go to a festival, but there he was, out of his usual flak jacket and wearing a green happi, standing in front of a small book cart. For once he wasn't reading his perverted books, but rather something her mother used to read.

"Poetry, huh? So that is what you read when it is not a perversion."

Akira had never seen Kakashi put a book down so fast. It was even faster than the time he was trying to hide his Icha Icha book from Pakkun. Akira rose an eyebrow at him, then he looked at her. For a second it was like he was staring at a wall, and then all of a sudden his eyes widened a bit.

"Are you all right, Kakashi? Your face is a little red. It could just be the lights, though," Akira said, taking a moment to observe the colourful lights.

"Akira?"

"Yes?" Akira frowned. "Seriously, are you all right?"

"W-What? Yes, I'm fine!"

Akira gave him a sceptical look, but shrugged.

"What are you doing here? I did not peg you for someone who enjoyed festivals."

"Oh, uh, I don't, really. Guy dragged me here and I managed to escape. Figured I might as well look around while I'm here," Kakashi explained. He looked around. "You're here alone?"

"Oh, no," Akira chuckled. Kakashi stared at her smile. "I came here with Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Kiba and Shikamaru. I just wanted to get away from Ino's shouting and constant arm tugging. I think she might have pulled one of my muscles, if I am being honest."

"Well, I was about to leave, so..."

"No you were not, you were engrossed in that book. Just buy it and come with me. I still have not looked at the handmade jewelry carts."

Kakashi grabbed the book he was reading and paid for it, then got dragged by the wrist all the way to the jewelry carts. It was a shame Akira never really bought herself any jewelry, because there were so many things that were so beautiful to her. It helped that they were handmade and supported an artist from their village too.

"You're not getting anything?" Kakashi asked, as Akira began to wander off.

"I rarely buy myself jewelry. I usually just admire it," Akira admitted.

"But you wear it."

"When it is given to me, yes. I do not buy myself jewelry because I do not want to wear something simply because it is pretty. I like having a reason behind it." Akira held up her left hand. There was a simple braided bracelet on her wrist. "This was a gift from a young boy in the village. He gave it to me because he felt bad that his parents avoided me because of who I am."

"People still fear the massacre?" Kakashi said, eyes widening a bit.

"The same is true for Naruto and the Nine-Tailed Fox, is it not?"

Akira continued on, making her way down to some other carts where they seemed to be selling little baubles and jade figurines. Seconds later, a hand was holding out a beautiful silver camellia necklace in front of her face. Akira looked up to find Kakashi at the end of that hand. Akira rose an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, I need a reason?" Kakashi asked.

"I would like one, yes," Akira said, crossing her arms.

"Late birthday present?"

"My birthday was more than two months ago."

"Early Christmas present?"

"Christmas is in three months, Kakashi."

"You look really nice and I wanted to get you something?"

Akira opened her mouth to protest, but she couldn't think of anything to say. Instead, her mind was distracted by that same strange feeling in her stomach, and when she stared a Kakashi for even a second, the feeling seemed to get worse. She shook herself out of it and suffocated the feeling in her stomach. It had no place being there. Eventually, Akira gently took the necklace from Kakashi's hand, then clasped it around her neck. She looked down at it and smiled gently. It was a nice necklace, after all.

"Thank you, Kakashi," Akira said, looking back to Kakashi with a small smile.

"Eh, you're welcome," he said, shrugging.

"Well, I have seen everything there is to see. Do you want to have a cup of tea with me and call it a night?"

"Akira! There you are!"

Akira groaned and rolled her eyes the second she heard Ino shouting again. She turned towards the voice and found that Hinata, Sakura and Ino had lost Kiba and Shikamaru as well as herself.

"The boys ditched us the second you disappeared! When the hell did you disappear!?"

"Oh, when we spotted Asuma, Kurenai and Guy-sensei."

"That was two hours ago!" Ino shouted.

"Your point?"

"Why the heck did you leave us?"

"For one, I wanted to run away from your shouting," Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Second, I wanted to see if Kakashi was here."

"Huh? You did?" Kakashi piped up.

"Well, yes. I saw everyone else was here, I wanted to see if you were. If not I would have hunted you down and dragged you into this mess with me."

"How kind of you."

"You ditched us for the old man!?" Ino shouted. "No offense, Kakashi-sensei."

"None taken."

"Um, yes? Is that so hard to believe?"

"Not at all!" Sakura said with a big smile, which made Akira look at her questioningly. "Ino, let's go!"

"What no! I planned this whole thing and there she goes all googly-eyed, waltzing around with-"

Akira didn't hear the rest as Sakura and Hinata managed to drag Ino away by force. Soon, her shouts were drowned by the loud hum of the music and the crowd. Akira sighed.

"Now I really need that tea."

Kakashi chuckled.

"Let's go to the dango shop. My treat."

"No, you already got me something tonight. I will get the bill for the tea," Akira argued as they calmly walked side by side.

"It's a festival, Akira. What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't treat the woman accompanying me?" Kakashi said casually.

Akira's face suddenly felt warm and she looked down at her feet to hide her face. Although there was always that certain something about festivals, Akira chided herself for her behavior. It wasn't like her to get so flustered, but then again, the mood continued until Kakashi and Akira were done their tea, and Kakashi escorted Akira back to her compound. And then she watched his silhouette retreat, as she always did, then went inside, clutching her new necklace with a smile on her face.


	99. Snowflake

Akira stared at the blade pointed towards her neck. She smirked and side stepped it before swinging her own blades. The sound of metal against metal rang through the training ground of the Uchiha compound as Kakashi defended against Akira's attack. She slashed down at the man one Katana after the other, keeping her feet in constant movement. What Kakashi lacked in swordsmanship, he gained in speed. He quickly blocked all of Akira's attempts to land a hit which was steadily getting her angrier by the minute, but she kept swinging. She came in from the left, the right and above, all the while moving as swiftly and efficiently as a viper sliding on sand. Akira kept going until she created herself an opening, let go of her Katana in midair and pulled out a kunai. She swung her leg out at Kakashi and knocked him off his feet, kneeling over him with her kunai pointed directly at his throat.

"Check mate."

Her Katana dropped beside them with a gentle thud, and Kakashi's eyes slowly went from the blade to the girl above him. His expression was hard to read through the mask, but Akira hoped he was at least a little impressed by how much she'd been training. Finally, after weeks and weeks of training, she'd managed to pin Kakashi down.

"About time you got the upper hand," Kakashi said, apparently relenting.

"I did not just get the upper hand, I finally won," Akira said, limply tossing the kunai aside.

"I didn't know this was a competition."

"Everything is a competition with you, Kakashi."

"Well if it's a competition to scar me for life then you're tied."

Akira looked over to the side the familiar voice came from. When she spotted Kiba, nothing really clicked. All she saw was his mildly concerned face.

"What are you talking about, Kiba?"

"Look at yourself, not me."

Akira frowned and then looked down. The second she spotted Kakashi underneath her, her face went as red as the camellia necklace around her neck and she sprung off the man as fast as she could. Akira suddenly felt the need to explain herself to Kiba.

"This is not what it looks like! We were sparring and I got an opening so I took it! And it just so happened that we ended up like that!" Akira said rapidly, frantically waving her arms. "Nothing obscene was going on, I swear! It is not like there could be or anything, I mean he is super old-"

"Oh, so if I was younger there could be?" Kakashi muttered in standing

"W-What!? Shut up, Kakashi! You're not helping!" Akira rapidly turned to Kiba. "You started this! Kiba change the subject!"

"Uh huh... Yeah, I just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out with Shikamaru and I," Kiba said, his tone of voice clearly showing his confusion.

"Yes! Go! I will follow!" Akira shouted, storming towards Kiba.

"Aren't you going to change or show-"

"Nope."

Akira grabbed Kiba's hand and dragged him off her property, leaving Kakashi where he stood. She violently shook her head, muttering to herself as she went. Again. Again her actions reflected poorly on her. What had gotten into her? Especially around Kakashi, these days. It just made no sense.

Akira pulled Kiba along for a while, until she finally calmed down enough to realise she had no idea where Shikamaru and Kiba intended to hang out. She stopped suddenly.

"Wait, where are we even going?"

"Wherever you're dragging me to," Kiba said with a shrug.

"But what about Shika-"

"I lied. We didn't plan on hanging out - he's busy with his dad, again."

"Then why did you stop by?" Akira asked.

"Just wanted to see you."

"And why did you lie about hanging out with Shikamaru?"

"I dunno," Kiba said, kicking a pebble. "Guess I just didn't want to see you all over Kakashi-sensei."

"For the record, I was not all over him. But that is beside the point. What the hell made you want to separate us?"

Kiba laughed humourlessly, but smiled softly at Akira. He didn't say anything for a while, just looked at her, which sort of made Akira uneasy. It was almost like he was examining her, but it wasn't in a threatening way. Akira just didn't know what the look in his eyes meant.

"Just a guy thing."

"Just a guy thi- KIBA!"

A few days later, Akira was woken up by the sound of someone knocking at her door. She groaned and swung her legs over the side of her futon and pulled on a thin yukata on her way to the front door. Much to her annoyance she wasn't met with anyone important, in fact she wasn't met with anyone at all, simply a scroll rolled up and tossed onto her doorstep. Akira rolled her eyes and headed inside to make herself a cup of tea, and only unfurled the scroll once she'd begun drinking it. However, it was soon abandoned. Akira jumped up from her seat and headed back to her room to pack a bag of food and supplies, then changed into the proper undergarments for wearing her armour.

Akira was armoured up and standing in the Hokage's office within mere minutes. Tsunade looked way too serious for Akira's liking, and even Shizune's face was stern, which was out of the ordinary. Akira stepped up to the Hokage's desk and waited for her to speak.

"Before Jiraya left he entrusted me with some information," she began.

"About Akatsuki," Akira stated.

"Usually I'd never send a Chūnin on a mission like this, but considering your history with the Akatsuki, I'm making an exception. In about ten minutes, three Jōnin are going to walk through that door. I'm going to explain them the mission, and then you'll leave. There won't be any specific parameters for it except reconnaissance, but you Akira, will have things to do."

"What do you mean?"

"You'd recognise your brother's Chakra signature anywhere, right?"

"Of course. And Kisame Hoshigaki's as well," Akira replied.

"Good. Now, Jiraya found the location of at least one of the Akatsuki hideouts," Tsunade said.

Akira straightened immediately. This was it. A chance to confront the Akatsuki, maybe even Itachi. Hopefully she would also be able to delay whatever they were up to which concerned the Tailed-Beasts.

"Shimogakure is where you'll be heading. A few miles north of the village is a frozen waterfall. Jiraya spotted activity in that area, so that's what you and your team will be investigating."

"My team and I?"

"Yes, I'll be making you team leader on this one, which might not go down so well considering who's going to be joining you... But it is essential for what you're going to do. If you find a hideout, under no circumstance can anyone but you go inside. You will have to order your three comrades to stay outside."

"What!? That is ridiculous! Going into the Akatsuki hideout without backup is suicide! Especially if there are members there!"

"I don't want to get more people involved in this Akatsuki buisness than necessary. A small part of the Anbu is dedicated to them, but they haven't gotten anything solid in years. I'm hoping that because one of them is your brother-"

"I will have an easier time finding him," Akira completed, sighing. "Right. You might want to put that on paper and sign it if these people are going to be that hard to order around."

"I know it's risky, and probably a bad idea, but the less people know about what the Akatsuki are doing with the Tailed-Beasts, the better. I don't want anyone panicking unless it's merited," Tsunade said.

"Then why not send me alone? If you are not going to allow anyone else to enter the hideout, why bring them at all?"

Tsunade frowned.

"Do you want to go alone?"

"Would it not be better? If they are not going to be participating in the most important part of the mission, they serve no purpose being there. You could use them for other missions while I am away, or keep them on standby if ever I get into trouble," Akira reasoned. "It is not that I wish to go alone, it is that I alone would be better suited for this reconnaissance mission. If you really want to have someone accompany me, then would Kakashi not be suitable? He already knows about all this."

"Kakashi won't be going with you. I've got missions lined up for him already," Tsunade said curtly.

Akira frowned. She was avoiding the subject.

"If you are going to have him spy on me while I am away, you could at least be more subtle about it."

"Are you accusing me of something, Akira?"

"No, Lady Tsunade," Akira said calmly, though her eyes held boiling rage. "I am not."

"Good. Leave now. I'll call off your team."

Akira nodded and vanished into thin air, reappearing in her home to angrily grab her bag of supplies. If Tsunade was having someone follow her on this mission, she was a hypocrite. Belief in her abilities didn't matter if you still didn't trust, and this definitely wasn't trust. Did she still think that Akira was going to run off and find Sasuke, or in this case maybe even Itachi? Akira shook her head and vanished from her spot, reappearing at the main gate. It was even worse considering Akira suspected Tsunade was going to send Kakashi out to tail her. Couldn't it have been someone else and not one of her dearest friends? She looked behind her, a part of her thinking she'd see Kakashi, but there was no one but the usual guards. Akira sighed. Tsunade was delusional.

Akira headed north-east towards the Land of Hot Water, which was the land between her own and the Land of Frost, her final destination. She wasn't in a hurry to get to the Akatsuki hideout, but she did want to get this mission over with quickly. Without friends or comrades distracting her, Akira could rush through the forests of the Land of Fire without interruption. She only stopped at nightfall, and by then she'd reached the border of the Land of Hot Water.

The Uchiha set up a basic encampment, which consisted of a single tarp hanging between a few trees to shield her in case of rain. Akira didn't want to use a tent unless there was someone else there to keep watch outside. Should she sleep? Akira looked out into the forest, trying to look for movement or sense a presence. Someone was most likely following her. If anything happened, would they interfere? Akira sighed and closed her eyes as she laid back against a tree. She fell asleep rather quickly, but she woke up almost just as rapidly. Her eyelids snapped open, her breathing was rapid, her heart was beating a million times a minute. She couldn't remember what she'd been dreaming about, but if she woke up like this Akira didn't want to know, anyway. So she ate a few rice cakes and packed up her things, knowing full-well she wasn't going to be getting any sleep. Then her journey to the Land of Frost resumed.

Akira made it through the Land of Hot Water without a hitch. She stopped by a cart to get herself a decent cup of tea along the way, but other than that she remained in the shadows or high up in the trees or on the rooftops, out of sight and out of mind. Slowly, it became cooler. The ambient temperature of autumn began to disappear as did the colours that came with it. Akira paused, almost by instinct, when the first snowflakes fell in front of her and melted on contact with her skin. She looked up at the sky and smiled gently.

"Hello, Haku..."


	100. Shark Face

Akira went through town this time. Something told her that she should. Maybe it was just intuition, but maybe it was Haku. Akira didn't think she could ever look at snow again without thinking of that boy. It hugged the houses like a day old baby, new and clingy. It was like the street had been put to bed, hushed under nature's frigid blanket. How odd it was to look on that view, so foreign yet so familiar. Intricate patterns of ice floated weightlessly downward from the sky above, each flake swirling and dancing, as an icy wind carried it toward a group of locals. Akira wasn't used to this kind of weather, but she found it enjoyable despite the bite of the cold. It was beautiful in its own way, the way the snow crunched underfoot as she walked and the low hanging shafts of sunlight that illuminated the sparkling white scene before her.

That was until it was broken by a few figures of black and red.

Akira dipped behind a building the second the landscape in front of her was tainted by darkness. She cursed herself as well: black hair, black clothes, black armour... in a sea of white? Why hadn't she prepared for this? The name of the land suggested snowfall. Akira shook herself out of it and looked around the corner. There were two people dressed in the long coats that she'd seen on Kisame and Itachi. From this distance she couldn't see their faces, but she could definitely check their Chakra signatures.

The Uchiha closed her eyes and performed a few handsigns. When her eyes reopened, she had to suppress a gasp. It was them all right, Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha. Akira's jaw clenched immediately, her mind replaying the events that took place last time they'd met. She didn't want a replay. The girl summoned a few snakes to keep an eye on them, then rushed to the north of the village. If they were out, it was the perfect time for her to sneak into their hideout without interruption.

Akira took to the trees, and as she jumped from branch to branch, thick showers of snow fell to the ground below. She frowned a bit, annoyed that she was leaving a trail, but at least it was less distinct than walking on the untouched snow below. Soon, a small path came into view, which piqued Akira's curiosity. What was a path doing here this far out of town? Akira dropped down onto it. Surely this lead to where she needed to go.

The crystalline waters of the waterfall had frozen some time ago, and witnessing the sun cast its rays upon it was amazing. It shone almost like a diamond. Akira managed a small laugh. This was too pretty to be an Akatsuki hideout. Akira approached the waterfall, following the path, and pulled out a Katana. She closed her eyes and reopened them with the Sharingan, hoping that she didn't need to use them. But this was Akatsuki. It was hard to believe they'd leave this place completely unguarded. Akira expected some traps to be set up all over the place.

Akira found the entrance to the hideout quite easily. It was behind the waterfall and took the appearance of a large door inside a torii. There was a small opening on the door, which spread out into a complicated system of copper tubes that ended on what looked like the other side of the door.

"First trap," Akira muttered to herself.

She didn't even dare touch the handle on the door, by fear that something would happen if she did. If there was such a complicated tubing system on the door that lead to the other side, then this had to be part of the unlocking mechanism or part of the test to go inside, to prove you are truly permitted inside. She couldn't see how Itachi could open this door. As far as she was concerned, nothing he possessed or could do fit with this. But what about Kisame? She got an idea and hopefully it would work. Akira took a step back and drew water from the gourd on her back. She twisted it into a fine line of water, and carefully shot it into the copper tubes, manipulating it until the water reached the other side of the door. There was a quiet click and then the door opened just a tiny bit.

"Kisame probably has a specific Jutsu for this," Akira muttered, as she peered into the small crack.

It was dark inside, so Akira couldn't see too far ahead, but there didn't seem to be anything attached to the door. Akira gently pushed the door open, hoping that she was right and didn't set off a trap. She knew she was in the clear when she was finally inside and the door was closed behind her. There was a dark tunnel up ahead, and one torch lit up the second she began walking forward. However, the further in she went, the more she could hear something moving up ahead, until all of a sudden, a crow flew straight at her head. She raised her Katana and cut the bird in half. Akira growled and put her hands together, just as a torrent of crows flew towards her.

"Release!"

All of a sudden the crows disappeared, but they were replaced with flying shuriken. Akira's eyes widened and she rose her Katana again, deflecting all the shuriken but two, which grazed her cheek and arm.

"Stupid Itachi..." Akira grumbled, wiping the blood off her face with her sleeve. "At least that one will not scar."

Akira pushed on, picking up the pace a little as she was sure that Kisame and Itachi knew she was here now. Getting caught in that Genjutsu was probably some sort of alarm. There was another door ahead, this one made of heavy steel. Just before attempting to open it, Akira crouched down and performed a few handsigns, then gently placed her hand on the ground until the spot she was touching turned white. She removed her hand and the white disappeared, the location successfully marked for future use. Akira stood and pushed the heavy door open, looking inside for any wires to pull and trigger something. However there was nothing, which seemed odd to Akira. There was less defense than she thought.

Akira's eyes widened when her gaze roamed over the room in front of her. Because the hideout was located inside a cliff, the room was huge, with ceilings as high as the Academy. There were a few carved benches in the rock, but not much else except for the large depression further in. It was more or less circular with a block of stone in the center which mimicked a table. As Akira approached, she began to notice the blood stains on the rock table as well as what looked like scorch marks at ten different places around the circle. Beside one of the scorch marks was a small column of rock which held a scroll. Akira didn't even bother reading it before snatching it and replacing it with one of her blank scrolls. She stuffed the Akatsuki's scroll into her armour and her undergarments for safe-keeping.

Akira managed to get out of the hideout safe and sound, but that is when everything started to go south. The second Akira's dark eyes were met with the white of the snow outside, the girl received a shuriken in the shoulder which she barely even saw with her active Sharingan. Akira stared at the wound - whoever had thrown it managed to hit her between two armour plates. The girl's eyes looked up and they narrowed upon seeing Itachi and Kisame. She pulled out the shuriken and tossed it to the ground, staining the pristine white snow with her blood.

"Long time so see, brother," Akira said, pulling out her second Katana. She glanced at Kisame. "Shark Face."

"Respect your superiors, runt!" Kisame shouted.

"Why do you think I respect Itachi?"

"Why you little-"

"Kisame," Itachi warned, and his partner quieted immediately. "You're here alone."

"You know the answer to that, Itachi. The burning question is, do you really have to use crows for your Genjutsu?" Akira asked, lightheartedly. Then her face suddenly got serious. "Snakes are much better. Crows are too fast... takes the pleasure out of it."

"You've spent too much time with him. With Orochimaru."

"Thank you for your concern, brother," Akira said sarcastically.

"What are you doing here?" Itachi asked, taking a step forward.

"My job. Investigating the Akatsuki and their involvement with the Tailed-Beasts," Akira said truthfully. "Not much here, honestly. Some weird circle and a scroll? Not very informative. You should leave more of your things behind to make my job easier."

"Like hell we're gonna make your job easier, you little punk!" Kisame growled.

"Did I ask your opinion?" Akira asked, glaring at Kisame. "No. So, shut up."

Kisame made a move to attack her with a sword, but Itachi stopped him. Akira momentarily narrowed her eyes at her brother.

"Why are you defending me, brother?"

"Because I have no interest in fighting you," Itachi replied.

"Like you had no interest in fighting Sasuke? Naruto is not here to capture your attention, why not fight me?"

"Because you might kill my partner."

Akira had to stop her facial muscles from forming a look of surprise on her face. If Itachi wasn't lying, did that mean she was now strong enough to take on Kisame Hoshigaki, the Monster of the Hidden Mist? She had been training a lot, but to think that she could take him on... Even though she'd beaten Raiga, who was also a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsman, Akira had a feeling that battling Kisame would be something on a whole other level. Was Itachi sure of his words, or was he lying to provoke her?

"Don't give the kid any hope, Itachi. I'd squash her like a bug," Kisame laughed.

"Don't tell me you're ignoring Samehada, Kisame. He senses her Chakra."

Akira frowned and looked at Kisame's back. Sure enough, the legendary sword, Samehada, was twitching beneath its bandages. It was itching for a fight.

"This was a nice talk, Itachi, Shark Face. But I must be going, my mission is already over," Akira said.

"You're not going to attack me?" Itachi asked, as Akira began to walk away. "You would think that after what I did to Kakashi, you'd want to kill me."

Akira's fists clenched in anger. Images of her past experience with Tsukuyomi appeared in her mind.

"Do not provoke me, Itachi," the girl growled. "You will not like the result."

"Look at her acting all tou-"

Kisame cut himself off as a dart of ice shot itself directly at his face, stopping a mere inch in front of his eye.

"I have better things to do than fight you, Kisame Hoshigaki."

"Not even a little spar?" Kisame chuckled darkly.

"My mission is done, I am to return home."

"I insist."

Akira sighed loudly and dismissed the ice pick before continuing on her way, ignoring Kisame's challenge. He began shouting at her but she didn't listen, keeping her eyes dead set on the path in front of her. That was until a kunai planted itself in a tree beside her head. Akira paused and looked over her shoulder.

"Come here, you little punk! I challenged you!"

"I have no interest in your challenge."

"Dammit, quit sounding like your brother and fight me!"

Kisame shouted loudly and ran at her with a sword. Thankfully it wasn't Samehada, and Akira was able to block it with her own blades. She raised her foot and kicked him in the stomach, sending him skidding backwards a little. Kisame smirked.

"There it is. There's the anger I'm looking for."

Akira took a deep breath to calm herself. There was no way she was going to get angry while fighting him. Unwillingly turning into her Cursed Seal form wasn't going to happen while fighting Kisame. There were more worthy opponents for her rage... Like her brother.

Kisame dashed at her again, and Akira moved out of the blades way by gracefully twirling to her left, hands and blades behind her back. Kisame frowned, Akira smirked. Orochimaru and Kakashi were right. She fought like she danced and it confused the enemy, putting the battle to her advantage. Kisame came at her again and Akira flipped out of the way, landing delicately on a branch in a tree nearby. She performed a few handsigns and smiled nicely, though Itachi and Kisame saw clear malice behind it.

"Goodbye, brother."

And then she vanished, leaving nothing behind but a vague spark of electricity.


	101. Goodbyes Aren't Easy

Akira appeared directly in the Hokage's office, arms crossed and bleeding from her shoulder. Everyone jumped in surprise when they saw her. Akira would have normally impassively looked at them, then at Tsunade, though she knew the people she was conversing with so she contended herself with a curt apology. They had been teammates of hers in quite a few previous missions, so politeness was ideal. Tsunade eventually dismissed the people she was talking with and turned to the Uchiha in front of her. Akira took a few steps forward and rummaged inside her armour to grab the scroll she'd taken from the Akatsuki hideout. Tsunade's eyes widened.

"You found something!"

"I also found Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha," Akira replied as she removed her armour. "I got a nice parting gift."

"Here, let me take care of th-"

"I am quite all right, Lady Tsunade. I would prefer if you opened the scroll. I did not waste time to read it, so I would like to find out as quickly as possible what it is I stole."

Tsunade nodded and unfurled the scroll, taking a few minutes to examine it. Her eyebrows furrowed, not in confusion, but in anger. She rolled it back up and handed it back to Akira, who examined it as well. It was a scroll with a special Sealing Jutsu written on it, something Akira had never seen before. It seemed like some sort of cooperation Jutsu involving at least nine people.

"Nine Phantom Dragons Sealing Jutsu?" Akira questioned, looking back up at Tsunade.

"Nine... like the number of Tailed-Beasts," Tsunade said angrily.

"Wait, can this Jutsu extract and seal things?" The Hokage nodded. "They use this on Jinchūriki to take the Tailed-Beasts. This is what the Akatsuki wants to use on Naruto!"

"And by the looks of it, the process would kill the host of the Beast."

"Gaara..."

Akira grabbed her armour and straightened herself.

"Lady Tsunade I would like to make a formal request."

"Does this have anything to do with the rumour going around that Gaara asked something of you?" Tsunade asked.

"Rumour? How did that spread so fast?"

"You're popular amongst your peers, Akira."

"Right... Well, yes. It has to do with the offer than Gaara proposed when we came back from the Land of Rivers."

"Go on."

"Gaara asked me what I would do when he left, when Naruto left and when everyone went back to their training. I told him that I did not know, which is true. Therefore, he suggested something that I could do, and that was to stay with him, Temari and Kankuro in Sunagakure until Naruto came back. Then I would have to go stop Orochimaru from taking Sasuke for good, therefore come back to the village."

"Three years. You want to leave this village for three years?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes. I am too comfortable in Konoha. Going to train in foreign conditions with people that have Jutsu different from here can help me grow stronger."

"You want me to send out one of my best Shinobi for the next three years? Akira, we're already down Jiraya and Naruto, and we still haven't recovered from Orochimaru's attacks on the village. We don't have an ideal amount of Shinobi, and you want me to reduce it even more?"

"I know it is asking a lot, and even I am not sure it is the wisest decision. But I need to get stronger, Lady Tsunade." Akira heaved a sigh. "Kakashi has been an incredible help, but I have gotten to a point where I know his moves and his Jutsu like the back of my hand. I do not know what Sunagakure has to offer, which is why it will prove to be a valuable learning experience. Besides, Gaara is the host to Shukaku the One-Tailed Beast. I could offer protection to him as well should the Akatsuki venture to take him away, as they tried to do with Naruto."

Tsunade looked intently at Akira for a while, then sighed.

"It's hard to argue with you, did you know that? Have you ever considered becoming Hokage?" Tsunade joked.

"The most I would consider is Shizune's position. Chief Advisor. I have no interest in directly dealing with politics. It is too... troublesome." Akira chuckled. "I sound like Shikamaru."

"He'll miss you if you go, you know. Not just him. Kiba, Hinata, Sakura... maybe even Kakashi will miss you."

A faint redness dusted Akira's cheeks when Tsunade mentioned Kakashi might miss her.

"Yes, I know. I would miss them too," Akira said softly. "But I cannot sacrifice my future because of my feelings, can I?"

"You're an admirable woman, Akira."

Akira smiled a little sadly.

"Is my request approved, Lady Tsunade?"

"Let me write up the paperwork. Come back once you're packed."

"Lady Tsunade?"

"Yes?"

"Was someone following me?"

"I wanted to have someone follow you, but I decided against it."

Akira nodded and bowed respectfully, before leaving the office the traditional way. She walked down the steps and out of the Academy building, taking one last good look at it. She smiled.

"Hey, Akira!"

"Hello, Iruka-sensei," Akira said with a smile, as her Academy teacher approached her.

"Reminiscing?"

"Getting one last look at it before I leave."

"You're leaving too!?" Iruka said loudly.

"I will be back around the same time as Naruto, do not worry."

"You leaving with Kakashi?"

"No. I am going on my own."

"Where're you heading?" Iruka asked, slightly worried.

"I am heading to Sunagakure," Akira replied with a smile.

"The rumour was true..."

Akira chuckled lightly and she began walking away.

"Until next time, Iruka-sensei."

"Come back safe! It won't be the Leaf Village without it's Uchiha!"

Akira smiled brightly and waved at Iruka before turning a corner and continuing her trek through town. She'd miss this. The streets jammed with people running all over the place and the Saturday afternoon shoppers that bustled around. She'd miss the market the most, its streets lined with stalls selling fresh produce and meat, baked goods and handmade trinkets. Akira had so many memories at the market she'd carry with her to Sunagakure: the little boy giving her the bracelet she wore, the many times she'd get lost in conversation with her parents' old friends, the day of the festival where she hung out with her best friends and received a gift from Kakashi. She'd even miss walking past Yamanaka flowers and laughing at Ino as mothers harassed her about the changing prices of flowers every season.

By the time she'd gotten home, at least half an hour had passed. Akira had dragged her feet through the streets, even stopping at the Cherry Blossom Street where Kai used to wait for her. Leaving home was beginning to get harder than anticipated. Why Naruto was so eager to leave was beyond her. It didn't make it any easier when a number of people crashed into her home with sad looks on their faces.

"Is it true?" Sakura asked, tears threatening to fall. "You're leaving too?"

"I am afraid that the rumours are true," Akira said as she packed her largest bag.

"What!? Kira, come on, you can't go!" Kiba pleaded.

"Yeah, who's gonna keep Kiba off my back while you're gone," Shikamaru complained.

"A-Are you going to meet up with Naruto?" Hinata asked softly.

"No, I do not think so," Akira answered, packing her weapons. "I am going to Sunagakure to train with the Sand Siblings."

"You're leaving to train? But you've got Kakashi-sensei to train with, and you've got us!" Sakura argued.

"That is true, but I have become used to your Jutsu, to your fighting styles. It is no longer a challenge for me to battle against you, and sparring will not make me stronger."

"Even Kakashi-sensei?" Shikamaru asked.

"Of course, even Kakashi-sensei. She's been spending all her training time and most of her free time with that guy," Kiba said in a huff.

"I cannot help it that Kakashi is the most advanced person that I am able to train with, Kiba," Akira stated, packing up her armour. "He is a Jōnin, after all."

She tied the bundle onto her bag and swung the entire thing over her shoulders. It was heavier than expected. Akira turned t her four friends and smiled sadly.

"I will miss you all. But I will return, so do not worry."

"Damn it, you're gonna get even stronger than me!"

Akira laughed and trapped the raging Kiba in a hug, which instantly calmed him down. He hugged back and ruffled her hair, making Akira push him away. Then Sakura tackled her, crying her eyes out, and the Uchiha spent the next five minutes trying to console her. She gave Hinata a quick hug and then punched Shikamaru in the shoulder before tackling him as well. He grumbled a little put gave her a small pat on the back in return. And then Akira put her hands together and vanished before their eyes, leaving nothing but a small burnt spot on the ground where the spark had scorched the wooden floors after many times of appearing in the same place.

Akira passed by the Hokage's office to retrieve her letter from Lady Tsunade, and as she was walking towards the edge of the village read it to make sure Tsunade hadn't done anything back handed to it. To Akira's relief she hadn't, and so she stuffed her special permission into her pocket and kept going. When she reached the main gate of the village however, she stopped and turned around, gazing longingly at the village she was leaving behind for a while. She was tempted to go search for Kakashi, but the man could never be found at this hour so she resigned herself to turn back around and exit Konohagakure.

"Are you forgetting something?"

Akira smiled and looked up into the trees. Kakashi was simply sitting there, legs swinging off the edge of a branch.

"I did not feel like searching for you indefinitely."

"Good thing I planned ahead, then," Kakashi said, jumping down from his perch. "Leaving already? I thought It'd take longer than that."

"I just came back from an Akatsuki hideout and found out how they remove Tailed-Beasts from their hosts. It kills them, Kakashi," Akira said softly. "Naruto is safe with Jiraya. I can do the same for Gaara."

"Also he offered you to join them in the Sand Village if you wanted to train more."

"Are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad? You know my Jutsu like the back your hand, you need something new." Kakashi sighed. "How long will you be gone?"

"Roughly three years. About the same time as Naruto will be gone. I need the training. Maybe not as much as him, though," Akira added with a laugh.

Akira looked up at Kakashi. His eyes had gone wide a bit.

"Are you all right, Kakashi?"

"Y-Yeah... That's just a long time."

"I will be back. It is not like I am leaving forever." Akira smiled sweetly at the man. "I can always write to you if you get lonely, old man."

"Me? Lonely? You're crazy," Kakashi laughed. He dropped his hand on Akira's head and smiled down at her. "Have a safe trip, all right?"

"You worry too much."

"Only about you."

Akira hid her embarrassment by hugging Kakashi and pressing her face to his chest. It took a few moments, but eventually Kakashi hugged her back, and they stayed that way for a while.

"I will miss you, Kakashi."

"Yeah, I'll miss you too, kid."

* * *

Three days had passed, and it was now the afternoon in the desert of the Land of Wind. The sun beat down, its one malevolent eye unblinking, and the sky was it's co-conspirator with not even a wisp of cloud to soften the harsh rays. Akira stopped to drink some water, then she resumed her trek. Each step sunk into the searing sand, the air was thick and hazy, each breath almost like drowning in lava. Akira groaned. Getting used to this weather would be training in itself. And then, like a light at the end of the tunnel, through the dust and dunes, Akira spotted them, the tall rocky cliffs that surrounded Sunagakure. With whatever remaining energy she had left, Akira burst into a run, feet sliding outwards as they hit the sand.

Two men stopped her once she stood at the foot of the fault line in the cliff. Akira smiled and heaved a large breath as she bent over to rest her hands on her knees.

"State your purpose," one of the guards said.

"Would you mind... giving me a minute?" Akira said between breaths. She stood back up and rummaged through her bag. "Letter from Lady Tsunade which states my purpose."

Akira handed the guard a scroll and unfurled it. His partner read it out loud over his shoulder.

"'I, Lady Tsunade, Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure, hereby give special permission to Akira Uchiha to fulfill a request given to her by Gaara of the Sand. She is to remain in Sunagakure to train alongside him and his siblings, Kankuro and Temari, for as long as needed. Should there be any issues with this statement, please accept Akira Uchiha into your Hidden Village until a letter requesting her return arrives.'"

"Huh, interesting. Gaara taking a liking to someone," the second guard said. "Well, I'll escort you to the Kazegake's residence."

Akira bowed respectfully and followed the men into town, and she couldn't help but look around like some sort of tourist. The village was much plainer than Konohagakure, but only in colour. The guards took her through the main street, a place that was drowning in a sea of people. Not a single empty space could be spotted between the stalls. Some held a hand against their forehead to shield themselves from the sun, others fanned their faces. The sun shone down upon the market and beads of sweat glistened on everyone's foreheads. There was the smell of powdered spices that lay in rust red and dusty yellow piles, rich unfamiliar scents that cut through the smell of dust and sand.

The Kazekage's residence was a tall rectangular building with a large and round extension on the top which Akira assumed to be the offices and administrative section of the entire building. The halls were decorated quite simply with deep greens and browns. A few people bowed respectfully to Akira as she passed, which was an odd experience, but it wasn't displeasing. People recognising her in a positive way was something she could get accustomed to. The question was, why were people bowing to her in Sunagakure of all places?

The two guards eventually stopped in front of a door and showed her in. Akira couldn't help but smile. Temari was lying upside down on a sofa, bored out of her mind, Kankuro was fiddling with one of his puppets and Gaara was staring out the window, arms crossed and silent. When Temari spotted Akira she gasped and fell off the couch with a loud thud.

"Hello, Gaara," Akira said with a small smile.

Gaara turned to face her, and he smiled ever so slightly.

"Hello, Akira."


	102. I'm Coming For You

"Come on! What kind of Uchiha are you?"

"Shut up, Temari!"

"Hey! I said no swords! We're practising Jutsu here, woman!"

"You are a tyrant!"

"Wait, maybe you can use your swords..."

"Oh, now, you say it!"

Months had already gone by in the Land of Wind, however Akira's training was only just beginning. Temari, Kankuro and Gaara had forced her to get used to the hot weather first, by forcing her to stay under the hot sun for hours on end and until her body was used to it. Temari had also gone out of her way to trade in Akira's dark clothes with paler ones so that she wasn't a beacon of heat like Kankuro, who still refused to get out of his black getup. So, the Konoha native had traded in her dark garments for classic Sunagakure wear that resembled what Temari wore.

Finally they were beginning her training, and starting out with Temari attempting to teach her the Wind-Release techniques she was so good at. It wasn't going well. Akira natural affinities, Lightning and Water, were natural opposites Wind and Earth, respectively. Last time, learning one Jutsu with Kakashi was a challenge. Learning a small arsenal? That was going to take forever, especially since Temari was a tyrant when it came to training. It didn't help that Kankuro and Gaara were watching them train.

"Yeah, I don't use it because I don't use swords, but there are these Jutsu called Air Blade and Shock Blade that you could learn easily," Temari said thoughtfully.

"Which do I learn first?" Akira asked

"I think Shock Blade would be easier, but we're gonna do Air Blade."

"What! Why?"

"Because you have to concentrate Wind-Style Chakra in order to use it. Basically you concentrate Wind-Style Chakra and blow it onto your blade. It'll be good practise for you."

"Come on, Temari, don't you think you're being a little hard on your student?" Kankuro chuckled.

"I am an Uchiha, Kankuro. I can take whatever challenge thrown at me," Akira said sternly.

"Yes, ma'am."

"So first, try concentrating Chakra using the Bird Seal."

Akira placed her hands in the form of a steeple with her thumbs sticking out, then curled in her last two fingers on both hands to complete the seal.

"Now try concentrating the Chakra in your chest, where your lungs are. Dunno if you're supposed to do that, but it works for me," Temari said, chuckling a little.

"I do the same thing," Gaara said, speaking for the first time this training session.

"There you go. In any case, you'll know you have the right Chakra once your breath becomes seriously powerful."

Akira nodded and closed her eyes, beginning to concentrate her Chakra in her chest, and calmly breathed in and out. Nothing happened for a long time, just peaceful meditation, until she began to feel heaviness in her lungs. She opened her eyes and pulled out her Katana, then blew on the blade. A cloud of pale green exited her mouth and floated onto her blade. It extended her Katana by almost double, but didn't add any weight to it at all.

"Now, slash."

Akira swung her Katana at the wall. A sharp gust of wind was released from the arc in which the blade swung, cutting a deep wedge into the stone wall in front of her.

"Jeez, you've got some powerful Chakra!" Kankuro said, eyes wide. "Even as a beginner Wind-Style user, you pack a punch."

"Yeah, how come you got so much Chakra?" Temari asked, sitting herself down beside Gaara.

Akira shrugged and sat down on the ground in front of the three siblings.

"I do not know. I have always attributed it to being an Uchiha. My family was known for having lots of Chakra. My father, for example, could go on for days without resting," Akira explained. "And I cannot attribute it to Orochimaru since I am not in my... other form."

"Other form?" Temari asked.

"Right... Only Gaara has seen that..." Akira ran a hand over her face. "I-"

"Don't want to talk about this," Gaara interrupted, finishing Akira's sentence.

The Uchiha looked up at him, a little thankful. Gaara stood.

"Come."

"Where?"

"I need to talk to you," Gaara said.

"Gaara, we're still training!" Temari complained.

"We have been training all morning, Temari," Akira said with a chuckle. "A small break will not kill me."

Gaara shot his sister a look and she backed off immediately, seemingly already aware of what this conversation entailed. Akira furrowed her eyebrows an stood, following Gaara through the streets of Sunagakure until they were back at the siblings' residence. Gaara showed her the way up to get up to the rooftop without sliding off the rounded edges of the building, and they sat down side by side, looking down at the Village. They were quiet for quite some time, and while Akira was curious to find out what Gaara had to tell her that required returning all the way here, she remained silent, hoping that he'd speak before spaced out, staring down at the city below.

"I'm guilty of bringing you here under false pretenses," Gaara said all of a sudden. Akira frowned and looked at him. "I did want you to come to the Sand Village to train with us, but in the back of my mind there was something else."

"Why else did you want me to come?" Akira asked, genuinely curious.

"To ask a favour of you."

Akira laughed.

"Then you could have just asked before leaving last time I saw you."

"It's not that kind of a simple favour." Gaara looked out at the Village. "You're aware that my father, the Kazekage was killed prior to the attack on your village, that Orochimaru had been impersonating him for months?"

"Yes," Akira said sadly. "It was part of the briefing the Shinobi of our Village got after the attack had ceased."

"Unofficially, since there was no election process, the title of Kazekage falls to Temari. For one, she doesn't want the title. Second, I was planning of pursuing the title regardless."

"You were?"

"Yes. To show the villagers that I am not the weapon they think that I am, and so that, by protecting the entire Village, I can gain the same strength you an Naruto have."

"Well, I think the title of Kazekage would suit you," Akira said with a smile. "But what does this have to do with the favour you wanted to ask of me?"

Gaara pulled out a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Akira. She unfurled it and began to read.

"It's only on paper, now. But if you accept, I will send it to Lady Tsunade."

"Wha- Why? Why me?" Akira said, incredulous, still staring at the words in front of her. "Your siblings, they-"

"Don't want an official position. Besides, Kankuro is too protective of me and Temari is too hot headed."

"What about any other Sand Shinobi. I am not qualified for this position, Gaara, nor is it something I am good at in general."

"And I am qualified to be Kazekage?"

Akira chuckled lightly; he had a point. But her face turned serious again when she looked back at the scroll.

"For how long?"

"The two years you're here. I think you and I will be able to find a suitable replacement in that time."

The Uchiha sighed and rolled up the scroll. She stared at her hand holding it for a while, debating, weighing her options and what she could learn. Eventually, she handed it back to Gaara, mind made up.

"Send it to Lady Tsunade."

* * *

With each stride her mind became more clear, more resolute, as if the growing physical distance between herself and her fear had now become a chasm. As the rising sunlight caressed her skin, promising a new dawn, a new beginning, Akira entombed her reluctance, her fear in thick walled ice. Then, abruptly pausing to close her eyes and take in a deep breath of warm air, she steeled herself to only think of her future from here on in. A future she would mould, build, direct. Then with each stride after that she felt more in charge, in command of her own mind, body and soul. She was a girl walking into her own destiny, a destiny that lay squarely in her own hands, and by Gaara's side for the time being.

Akira readjusted the documents in her arms and pushed open the doors to the Kazekage's office. In an instant, she was met with the gazes of at least a dozen people. Half of them flocked to her and the other half remained glued to Gaara, fitting him for his new robes. Akira set down her documents and laughed a little when one of them pricked him, but winced when someone did the same to her. It was Gaara's turn to laugh.

"That hat looks ridiculous," Akira chuckled, as Gaara put on the Kazakage's jingasa.

"Do you want to wear it then?" Gaara said in reply.

"I am but your humble advisor, Gaara. I do not have the authority to wear it." Gaara looked at the hat, funny. "Besides, it is only required as a formality, you know. You will not need to wear it all the time. At least I hope not. I cannot wear this shade of green constantly, I will look like I am sick and dying," Akira complained, looking down at the simple robe she was being fitted for.

"How's your studying?" Gaara asked, nodding over to the documents Akira had brought in.

"Studying is long done, Gaara. Those are documents for you to fill out and sign."

"Already? But I haven't even been introduced yet."

"Yeah, you need to sign those to be introduced," Akira said, holding up half the pile of documents. "The rest is for me. Wavers, secrecy agreements, you know - the usual."

"The usual?"

"Considering I lead a few missions back in Konohagakure, I had to do lots of paperwork. Besides, I used to watch my father do this almost every day for the Military Police."

The dozens of people left soon after, leaving Gaara and Akira alone for a moment. Akira sighed and smiled.

"You ready, kid?"

"I'm older than you," Gaara said.

"Buzzkill."

Gaara and Akira walked out of the Kazakage's office and followed a few more men down the hallway, until they reached the balcony that overlooked the Village. Everyone had gathered there, and they stared up in both fear and amazement. Akira didn't much listen to the speech anyone made, and barely knew what she was saying herself, but she knew one thing. Looking at Gaara, she knew she'd made the right decision. Sunagakure was the best place for her right now. In the years to come, she, alongside Gaara, would learn how to run a Hidden Village. Most importantly however, there would be intense training, training to ready her for what was going to disrupt her peaceful living until now.

And as the speeches came to an end and everyone returned to their posts, Akira stepped forward and looked out onto the dunes surrounding Sunagakure. Her fists clenched in determination, her jaw set in anger and she stood proud. Akira took a deep breath, and in no more than a whisper she spoke to the wind:

"I'm coming for you, Sasuke."

* * *

 **This is the end, my children!**

 **I wanted to leave y'all on a cliffhanger 'cause I hate myself and want you guys to yell at me.**

 **Anywho, as I said, this is actual final end of the Naruto Original Anime and the next chapter will be set two years from what you just read. I debated having one other chapter that just showed her running the place with Gaara as well as some training, but I didn't feel like getting into politics talk so I said screw it.**

 **In any case, let me give you a little bit of info of what will happen during the next two years, for Akira. Can't just skip into Shippuden without giving you a little insight, now can I?**

 **1\. If you hadn't guessed, Akira is taking on the responsibility of being Gaara's right hand woman, much like Shizune is to Tsunade and Shikamaru will later be to Naruto when he's Hokage. She's gonna advise him, poke fun at him and make sure Sunagakure becomes prosperous again. Well, until she has to leave.**

 **2\. Where training is concerned, Akira will be learning everything from Temari when it comes to Wind-style. Earth-style will be coming from Gaara, and Kankuro is gonna help her with Chakra control and a mish-mash of things. Finally, the better use of her special ability will come from the lot of them, but mostly Gaara since he does the same thing but with sand.**

 **3\. Will she become a Jōnin before the start of the Shippuden Arc? Who knows? That's something I can't really tell you, cause that'd be a spoiler. Don't worry though, I'll most likely mention it in the first chapter in the new Arc.**

 **4\. Who's being romanced? Okay, well, obviously I've been hinting. The top three choices in the poll for the position were Gaara, Kiba and Kakashi - not in this particular order.**

 **5\. Did you guys notice the last line of the chapter? Akira said, "I'm coming for you, Sasuke." Now usually, Akira doesn't use contractions, right? Well, I've decided to drop that. In my personal opinion, I think Akira's gotten to a point where she doesn't give two shits about how she speaks. Earlier in the story I said that Akira spoke this way because she didn't lose her dignity as an Uchiha and blah, blah, blah. However, things have changed. Now, I think Akira's definition of dignity lies in her actions more than her words now.**

 **6\. Well... I can't think of a number six. If there's anything you want me to clear up before the start of the next Arc, then hit me up in the comments section. Though, you might wanna do that fast considering I'm gonna be writing this like... now.**

 **7\. Yes, I'll describe how she's physically changed in the next chapter. Don't worry.**

 **Anyway, that's it, buddies!**

 **Much love,**

 **Kakashi of the Sharingan**


	103. Finally Home

It was an early spring morning and a frosty chill hung in the air. The sweet surrendering scent of the morning dew filled the forest with a scent that did not belong on earth. Spring buds began to cover the tall trees, each of them glistening. The dark shadows of the voluminous trees and the surrounding bushes had become the backbone of the forest, standing as passive protectors of a peaceful place. The spring sun rose in a hurry as if trying to make up for setting too early the evening before, blooming into the pale sky with a warm mellow glow, sending what was left of the moon packing until its next shift guarding the night. By mid morning sky was a brilliant baby blue. As the morning developed the sound of young birds filled the air: chirping, tweeting and warbling incessantly.

The lake had been hardened by the sharp cold unforgivingness of an icy frost, the translucent water bound as a smooth solid., but it had thawed only days prior, a small ripple grazing its surface now. The wildlife were bold yet cautious of figuring out their new visitor, daring to get closer to have a look at the foreign creature disturbing their peace. As the day went on the forest came to life. The trees dance in the wind, the sound of running water in the stream had the same hypnotic quality as music luring animals in to have drink, to taste the warm sweet sensation of fresh water. The drone of insects humming and buzzing filled the air, little frogs croaked while searching for food hoping to catch an easy snack.

As the girl walked, her hair fluttered in the air down past her shoulders and all the way to her hips. Her clothes clung to her body, but after spending so much time in the desert what she was wearing wasn't enough. The cool spring weather of the Konoha forest wasn't suited for shorts and a thin blouse, or it would be had Akira not spent the last two years in Suna. Before, she used to feel so comfortable in this weather, and she'd be camouflaged with the dark colours of her wardrobe, but the pale browns and blues of her clothes made her stand out. It was a good thing she wasn't aiming to conceal herself, at the moment. The sun was welcome in this cold, the girl grumbled to herself. You could tell she'd gotten used to the heat of Suna by her tan and the way she held herself as if to protect herself from the light breeze.

In the gleam of the sun shone Akira's silver council brooch, given to her by the Suna council upon her departure. She stared at it and smiled. Akira already missed being Gaara's right hand, an honorary member of Sunagakure. She wasn't sad of being gone however, as she knew that she must return to her home. Akira had trained non-stop for two years, honing not only her skills in what the Sand Siblings excelled in, but also what she knew already. She trained from dawn until dusk, until she couldn't breathe, until she couldn't stand. She had to. It was what she would need to survive the years to come.

Soon, the torii leading into the Village came into sight. There was a flutter that rose in Akira's stomach. There it was, the tall gate in the outerwall of Konohagakure. The girl stopped before it and readjusted her bags she was carrying.

"Welcome home, Akira," she muttered to herself.

It was strange, being here again after so long. But despite how long she'd been away, Akira still remembered everything about the Village; the red camellias and pale jasmine planted on the sides of the streets, the tall sakura trees shedding their petals into Akira's hair, the soft hum of voices coming from the market and the main street. All the faded paint had been coated over again, but Akira still recognised it. If anything, the brighter colours made the return all the nicer.

"Hey, Kotetsu, Izumo," Akira said brightly as she passed the two guards.

"Akira?" Kotetsu breathed.

"Yep, that's me! Hey, is everyone here? I'd be a shame if I chose to come today and everyone was out on a mission."

"You're talking funny," Izumo laughed.

"Really? I thought I talked funny before. All high and mighty, you know? Anyway, is everyone..?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everyone's here. Hey, welcome back."

"Thanks. It's good to be back."

Akira smiled at the two Chūnin and walked off into the village. She blew through the streets like a warm breeze, eyes a reflection of the night sky. They glanced everywhere, taking in all the new sights and smells, and then they stopped suddenly. There were others around him, but she didn't see them initially. She was focused on him, so focused in fact she didn't realise that she was moving towards him. The hood was gone, and Akira could properly see his face for the first time in years; he had gotten taller and he'd grown out of his usual clothing, but that stupid smirk was still there, and for some strange reason it made Akira inexplicably warm in the face.

"Kiba?"

The boy looked up from whoever he was staring at. His eyes roamed over Akira, seemingly unsure of the girl's identity, but then all of a sudden it clicked, and the big grin Akira was so accustomed to appeared. Kiba broke into a run, with joy in every step, and he scooped the girl up in a bear-hug. In a few moments, Kiba let her down and went to speak but nothing came out, just a wordless smile.

"It's been two years and all she sees is Kiba. What a drag."

"Yeah, I missed you too, Shikamaru," Akira laughed, trapping the boy in a hug as well.

Shikamaru hadn't changed much. He had gotten taller, and had traded in his usual clothes for the standard Konoha Military outfit that most Shinobi sported. Other than that, from what Akira could tell, he was still the same old Shikamaru.

"Cat got your tongue, Kiba?"

"That's not it!" Kiba finally said. "There's just so much to say! You've grown, you're tanned, what the hell are you wearing, what's that pin there, your hair is so damn long - there's just so much!"

"So, you didn't miss me?" Akira said with a wry smile.

"What! No, of course I missed you!"

"He definitely missed you, kept whining about you being gone for the past two years," Shikamaru complained, which earned him a smack on the shoulder from Kiba. "See what you left me with all this time?"

"My most sincere apologies, kind sir," Akira said sarcastically. "Hey, come on! Let's find everyone else!"

In under an hour, Akira had reunited with most of her friends. Hinata, Shino, Ino, Choji, Lee, Neji and Tenten had all grown in ways that Akira could have never imagined. Looking at them all one after the other throughout the day, Akira could tell that they'd all trained hard enough to compare with Naruto, who was bound to return to the Village as strong as she was. Ino had apparently been trained in the Medical-ninjutsu by Sakura, which seemed promising. Lee and Tenten had jumped to new heights after all the training Guy-sensei had put them through, Shino and Choji were also stronger, not that they needed to be since they were already exceptional Shinobi, and even Hinata had managed to be on par with her cousin Neji, whom, to her surprise, had been promoted to Jōnin.

"Guess you're stuck with us in the Chūnin club, huh?" Kiba joked.

"What're you talking about? I was promoted to Jōnin while in Suna," Akira said. "Lady Tsunade sent me the letter of promotion after Gaara sent her a formal request to make me his Right Hand."

"What!? Wait- Right Hand?"

"Yeah, Gaara is Kazekage now."

"Huh, good for him," Shikamaru said reasonably. "And that was probably a great learning experience for you, wasn't it?"

Akira smiled fondly.

"Yeah, it was. I'm definitely gonna miss him," the girl said.

"Congratulations on making Jōnin, by the way."

"Yeah, thanks," Akira said, a little embarrassed, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck. "I didn't really expect it to be honest, not until I came back at least. Hey, where's Sakura?"

"No clue," Kiba said. "Probably heading to the main gate at this hour. She gets the foot traffic report herself so that she can ask whether Naruto has arrived yet."

"Cool. I'll go check that out later, for now I'm getting a change of clothes. It's freezing here!"

"No, it's not," Shikamaru laughed. "It's your fault for walking around half naked."

"In my defense, I just spent two years in the desert."

Akira waved to her friends and split up with them, heading to her compound on her own. It felt nice talking to them after all this time, but Akira just wanted to be one with the Village for now. The desert was quiet, and so was Suna, returning to the hustle and bustle that was Konohagakure was throwing her off. At least until she got accustomed to the loudness of her hometown, again.

A smile painted her face the second she laid eyes on her compound again. The lake-side air was pungent with the fragrance of jasmine and violets. The pond was clean, and the koi fish were swimming around lazily. Someone had been taking care of her garden while she was away. Akira suspected Sakura or Ino. Akira sighed contently as the sound of the sōzu reached her ears. She gazed across the wind-ruffled surface to the lily-pads in bloom, their white or magenta petals catching the breeze. Akira inhaled slowly. Peace. Until the wind blew a little harder and a shiver ran up Akira's spine.

Akira shuddered and headed inside, dropping her bags by the entrance. She headed to her kitchen to start a pot of tea, then grabbed her back to begin unpacking. Firstly, Akira unfolded her armour and placed it on its proper stand, then added all her weapons to her cabinet. She tossed all her clothes into a hamper in the corner of the room, waiting to be washed, then pulled off her own clothes and threw them in the same place. After a quick hot shower to warm herself up, Akira went to dress herself in her old clothes only to find they no longer fit.

"I grew that much?" Akira grumbled.

The girl sighed and tossed her clothing aside, throwing on a yukata instead. Akira frowned a little, then looked to the door of her bedroom. She hesitated, then proceeded to walk to her parents' old room. Everything was still there and in place like it was before. The blood stain was no longer there, but Akira could see its outline in her mind. She stared at it for a little while then opened her mother's closet, attempting to find something that fit and didn't make her look like a mom.

About a half hour later, Akira had modified her mother's long kimono shirt so that it fit over her chest area and tied it with her white uwa-obi. She ripped off the sleeves so that her arms were free and she could see the odd tattoo on her arm she used to summon snakes. She tied her old holsters on her arms and slid in the Tachi Orochimaru had returned to her, then tied both her Katana to her waist after slipping on a simple pair of black pants, which were hidden by the navy shirt that fell down mid-thigh.

Akira stared at herself in the mirror. Was Kiba right, had she changed that much? She didn't think so. She had definitely gotten taller, a more shapely figure and her hair was twice as long, but other than that? Maybe. She didn't walk the same, hold herself the same way. Her speech had returned to the playful pattern she used years ago, before she'd met Orochimaru. Most of the changes happened on the inside, however. Akira had returned to Konoha more mature, if that was possible, wiser, more powerful than anyone could imagine. She'd come home ready.

"Oh, shit, my tea!"

Akira ran back to her kitchen and took the tea off the stove. She cursed herself for letting the tea go too far, and dropped her tea pot in the sink to wash later. It wasn't the time for tea anymore. It was time to find Sakura.

Akira performed a few hand seals and vanished from her home and reappeared at the top of the Academy. After only a few seconds of observing, Akira vanished once again only to reappear beside Sakura at the main gate. The girl shrieked.

"Woah, calm down, Sakura!" Akira laughed.

"Akira! You're back!" Sakura shouted happily, tackling the girl in a hug. Her eyes quickly went down to Akira's chest then back up at her face. "Wow, you're... um, tanned?"

"Yes, I am," Akira said, slightly amused. They continued walking. "I went to Sunagakure remember?"

"Oh, right, how was that?"

"Fantastic! I learned so much, I think I can kick anyone's butt into next year." Akira said proudly. "How was training with Tsunade?"

"Let's just say I could literally kick someone into next year," Sakura said wryly, plucking a flower from the ground.

"She made you train your Chakra control that way!? Remind me not to make you mad."

"Unless you're Ino or Naruto, I doubt you can. And you?"

"You're looking at the proud user of all five nature transformations," Akira said brightly, holding up a peace sign. "Plus the Yin-Yang, of course. But that's only because of my Sharingan."

"All five!? That's incredible! Your Sharingan is amazing," Sakura said with a smile, placing the flower she'd just picked in Akira's hair.

"Oh, I didn't copy the Jutsu, I learned them the hard way. Temari drilled me non-stop for a month for just one Wind-Style Jutsu." Akira laughed and stuffed her hands in her pockets. "It was really hard and a big pain in the ass, but it was totally worth it. Copying Jutsu is fine, but really learning them..."

Akira simply sighed and smiled, not finishing her sentence. Knowledge was power, and that was something she couldn't say without thinking of Orochimaru. He wasn't something she wanted to bring up to Sakura, not when it was so closely related to Sasuke. Akira assumed that that subject wasn't something to talk about in her presence.

It turned out that Naruto hadn't arrived yet. So, Sakura simply grabbed the foot traffic report, Akira said hello to Izumo and Kotetsu again, and then they left towards the village. The girls then found Hinata and went to the dango shop for some tea and sweets, as well as to catch up on the past two years of their lives. A while after, while the three girls were in the middle of a hysterical laugh over something Hinata was saying about Kiba, said boy, as well as Shikamaru, interrupted them with shouts of embarrassment, but they ended up staying with them until the late hours of the night and the shop owner kicked them out. It was almost like they were in a drunken stupor, but they weren't, simply drunk on each other and all the good times they missed and just made up for.

With one last hug each in Akira's direction, the five friends parted ways. Akira stood in her spot and watched her friends leave, all in different directions, before she turned in a direction opposite to her compound. She didn't exactly have a destination in mind, simply following her feet where they took her absent mind. Soon enough, Akira found herself kneeling in front of Kai's gravestone. She plucked the flower from her hair and placed it on the gravestone. Its purple colour was almost invisible in the moonlight, but it would glow in the sun during the day.

"Hey, kid," Akira said softly. "It's been a while, huh? Two years that I haven't visited. I hope you've been keeping yourself busy without me. Actually, I hope that Kiba and Shikamaru came to visit you in my place. Being all alone... You could have used the company." Akira sighed and sat down on the dewy grass.

"Guess where I've been? I went to Suna to train with the Sand Siblings! Gaara became Kazekage, and I was his Right Hand for the time I was there. His brother ended up replacing me. He said he didn't want to initially, but I asked him personally and he agreed. I think he has a soft spot for me - ever since the Chūnin Exams, actually.

"I came back this morning, by the way. Sorry I didn't come see you straight away. You know how I get when I see Kiba - I lose my mind. And then there was Shikamaru and Hinata and Sakura and, well, you know. Life happened. Man, I wish you were here to... live, or whatever living people do. I miss you, you know? Anyway, there's one last person I need to see today, so I'll leave you be. Good night, Kai."

Akira sighed and stood, smiling one last time at her departed friend. Akira's feet led her past the memorial stone and she glanced at it before continuing her walk past training ground three. She weaved through the streets and walked past all the darkened windows and storefronts, hand in her pockets. Eventually she made it to her destination, and she stood on the ground below, looking up at the balcony. She wondered if she should go through there like last time, but after two years, would he remember she'd done that, or would he suspect an intruder? Akira shrugged and walked around to the front of the building, then removed her hands out of her pockets to knock on the door. After a moment, Akira turned around and took a few steps forward, looking out at the quiet street before her. There wasn't much foot traffic here during the day either; it must be just as peaceful as her compound. The only sounds came from the late night food cart stationed a few meters away.

Soon, Akira heard the door slide open.

"Can I help you?" came a sleepy voice. "This better be important, it's two in the morning."

Akira tried her best not to laugh. That voice would always amuse her.

"Yeah, I'm looking for someone. Think you can help me?"

"Sure, why not? Can you describe this person for me?"

"Well, I haven't seen him in a while, but he should be tall, never see his face, pretty damn lazy, he can't stop reading perverted books." Akira chuckled. "He's sort of a pain in the ass but he's probably the greatest person I kn-"

"Akira?"

The girl twirled around and beamed at Kakashi. All she could see was the look of surprise in his eyes and then his face as he slowly lowered his mask. Kakashi didn't know where to look first. Of course, in this light, he couldn't particularly see the tan she sported or the different gleam in her eyes, but definitely saw her figure, her face soft facial features and the hair that now fell down to her waist like a waterfall of ink. She'd gotten taller too, now at least a few inches above his shoulders.

"You..."

"I'm back, yes. I'm literally standing in front of you."

"No, you... You've changed."

"Well, I hope so, I've been gone for two years, old man," Akira chuckled. "Sorry to bother you at this hour, but my catch up time with Hinata and Sakura dragged on and then it got worse when Kiba and Shikamaru arrived, and then I ha-"

Akira was cut off by Kakashi's chest as he trapped her in a near bone-crushing embrace. She smiled, the strange flutter returning to her stomach after two years as Kakashi buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. Akira wove her hands around him as well, burying her face into whatever he was wearing. They stayed on the stoop of his home for a long time, or at least until the chilly air reached Akira's bones and she followed Kakashi inside for a warm cup of tea.

Akira was finally home.


	104. Master of Water

"Might I ask why you didn't report in immediately upon your return?"

She hadn't been back for more than a day and Lady Tsunade was already on her back. Even though it wasn't specifically mentioned that Akira had to check in upon her return, apparently the girl had to anyway. So that is what she was doing, standing in Tsunade's office at the crack of dawn.

"Lady Tsunade, I'm only reinstated tomorrow as a Leaf Shinobi. Until then, my contract as a Jōnin of Suna still holds. Technically, right now, I'm a visitor. Do you think I need a visitor's pass?"

"Are you joking? You're joking! This isn't the time to be joking, Akira! You've just become a Jōnin and I need to tell yo-"

"Just become? Lady Tsunade, I've been fulfilling the duties of a Jōnin in Sunagakure for the past year. Surely there's nothing else I need to know. Unless the practices in Suna and Konoha are that different," Akira interrupted. "Otherwise, I can tell you that Jōnin use at least two types of elemental Chakra, though I can use them all. Jōnin are sent on A-rank and S-rank missions, sometimes they even go on them alone. I can put in a request to man a three-person Genin team, like Kakashi did, or I can be assigned to a team. A Jōnin Commander assists on the Council and Tokubetsu Jōnin are specialized, just like Ibiki Morino is specialized in interrogation. Did I miss anything?"

"No, but I still need to tell you what's required of you in this position," Tsunade argued, irritated.

"With all due respect, Lady Tsunade... no, you don't," Akira stated firmly. "I haven't been sweating my ass off in the desert the past two years, for nothing. I learned, I grew, I matured. While I don't know the specifics of what is required of me as a Jōnin, I know what is required of me as a Kunoichi, and I learned the things that will help me be the best damn ninja I can be. If that is not enough, then I don't know what is, honestly."

"What did you learn while you were away?" Tsunade asked, anger wavering a little.

"It'd be better to show you," Akira said with a little smirk. "Although, I can't really show you my Kazekage assisting abilities since you've got Shizune for that, and I doubt I'm as good as her."

"Then show me. Meet me in training ground three in an hour."

"I suggest a place where damage can be... done. The Forest of Death can be beaten up a bit, right?"

"The Forest of Death, then."

Akira bowed to Lady Tsunade and exited the room, then vanished back to her home. She went to her room and attached her Tachi to her arms, her Katana to her waist and packed her pouch with everything she could fit inside. She strapped on her gourd of water to her back and debated whether she wanted to wear her armour, but decided against it. Akira then made herself a quick lunch and ate speedily before running off towards the old terrain for the second part of the Chūnin Exams.

Tsunade was already waiting there with Shizune, in a small clearing, and apparently a small crowd that consisted of Kiba, Shikamaru, Hinata, Ino and Sakura. Akira could hear the bugs and creatures crawl around in the darkness that went beyond the trees and she reluctantly, and silently, thanked Orochimaru for making her train here. Otherwise, she would have ben too distracted by it all.

"I guess a lot of people are curious to find out what I've learned?" Akira said, looking at them wearily.

"It's not every day someone leaves for two years and comes back so different," Tsunade said.

"So, what do you want me to do?"

"First, I want you to show me a technique you've learned recently for each nature transformation you know."

"Let's start with Lightning, then. Um, you might want to stand up in the trees for this."

As if ordered, everyone jumped up into the trees and off the ground. Akira looked up at the sky, spotted a clearing in the trees where she could see the sky, and took a few steps back.

"Now, this move requires particular conditions, so I'm going to make those conditions now," Akira said, performing a few hand seals. "Wind Style: Instant Storm!"

In mere moments the small speck of blue sky visible through the trees became darker and darker, until the forest was draped in darkness and lightning began to crack above their heads.

"Is this safe!?" Ino shouted.

"It's all under control, don't worry!" Akira said with a goofy smile, all the while performing a complicated series of hand seals. "Come forth, Rairyū!"

Usually, Lightning-style Jutsu came in the colour blue, or unless you were Akira, yellow. But this time, the lightning above everyone's head turned bright white, just like her Chakra, and it gathered above the treeline, like the giant white moon on a starless night. But then Akira lowered her hand from the sky, down to the ground, and a giant white dragon flew downwards to the earth. When it hit the ground, everything it touched was decimated. A large radius of the forest was scorched, even the trees everyone was hiding in.

Akira straightened herself and breathed deeply, returning to her center of balance after such a powerful Jutsu. Then she turned to her friends and held up a playful peace sign.

"Where the hell did you learn that!?" Kiba asked.

"Made it myself," Akira said brightly. "The last Jutsu I created was in contact with my skin too much, but this doesn't. So it doesn't harm me, at all. Though it should considering I'm using actual lightning..."

"And the Rairyū?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, it means Lighting Dragon."

"What will you show me next?" Tsunade said seriously, interrupting the fun.

"Um, Fire-Style, I suppose."

Akira performed a few simple hand seals and turned her back to her friends. Slowly, she exhaled and blew what looked like slightly opaque air. A few of her friends wanted to get closer, but she pushed them back.

"Don't go there unless you want to be killed," Akira warned, performing another few hand seals.

She produced a simple spark, but the second it touched the air she'd exhaled it turned into a bigger fireball than the Fireball Jutsu itself, reducing everything that was scorched earlier to ash.

"That was Fugaku's Jutsu..." Lady Tsunade said, a little surprised.

"There are scrolls, upon scrolls of Fire-Style Jutsu in my basement. I learned from them. Can't let knowledge go to waste, can I?" Akira said in reply. "Now this I learned from Shikamaru's girlfriend."

"Girlfriend!?" everyone shouted.

"Temari has been going between the Leaf and Suna for months now, and all she brings back are tales and complaints of Shikamaru. It's annoying, really. Just like this Jutsu was a pain to learn."

Shikamaru crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, to which Akira returned a playful smirk. She told her friends to get behind her on the other side, so that she could face trees that hadn't been turned to ash. Even though they were scorched, at the size and width they were, they wouldn't yield to just anything. So, Akira breathed in and out and concentrated her Chakra into fingertips. It was faint, but you could see the outline of a blade extending from her fingers. She slashed at the trees, and a small, precise gust of wind flew forward. Upon hitting a tree, it cut it in half, sending the upper half falling to the ground.

"Temari uses Wind-Style to cause maximum destruction. She made me learn the precise side of it. It's what made us fight exceedingly well together."

"Wait, what did you even just do?" Ino asked, looking from Akira to the tree.

"Blade of Wind. I concentrate Wind Chakra in my fingertips and extend it into a blade."

"Yeah, I figured that much. But why was that gust of wind so small, but so powerful?"

"That's just the Uchiha in me, I suppose. I honestly don't know," Akira admitted. "Kankuro asked me the same thing about a year ago and I didn't have an answer to give him either. Anyway, Lady Tsunade, I'll move on to Earth, now."

Tsunade nodded and Akira began to perform the four hand seals necessary for her next technique, which also took her a while to master. The second her hand seals were complete, Akira grounded herself and sent all the necessary Chakra into the earth surrounding herself and her friends. One by one, giant walls of earth rose around the group of people, encasing them in a makeshift arena at least ten times their height, and then the next second they were flowing back down into the ground.

"Woah, when did you start using Earth-Style like that?" Kiba asked.

"Kakashi taught me the basics, I just got better."

"I suggest we move to the river bank for you Water-Style Jutsu," Tsunade said. "You're too far from the bank to summon water all the way here."

"Oh, there's no need. There's not much water in the desert so... I had to get creative."

Akira smiled innocently as Tsunade looked at her with a mix of surprise and terror. Akira took a stance and concentrated the most Chakra she could, feeling it flow through her veins like water, then shouted:

"Water Style: Water Shockwave!"

She violently clapped her hands together, and the second she did a giant spiraling vortex of water burst out of thin air, like magic. It rose around Akira like a barrier and using the movements of her hands and arms, the girl shifted the water as she pleased: into a wave, a waterfall, even a river. Neither of them could even shout to one another over the deafening roar of the water. Inside the vortex, Akira's hair whipped around from the sheer force of the vortex, but she stood there in awe, still surprised, after over three years, that she was this adept with water.


	105. Emergency in Suna

Naruto arrived the next day. The second he saw Akira and Sakura, Akira suspected some yelling a bit of crying and drama, but there was none of that, which impressed the Uchiha. He definitely was still a kid at heart, but the fact that he didn't lash out at everyone for getting stronger or forgetting his face, in Kiba's case, was a miracle. Jiraya had done wonders on him, and she could only imagine what the boy had learned since then. Though it didn't come as a surprise when he forgot who Shino was. Who could blame him? No one ever saw his face.

The blond immediately ran for Ichiraku ramen the second all reunions were complete, but a ninja interrupted his little trek with a message from Lady Tsunade. In addition to asking Akira to show off some of the things she'd learned, Tsunade wanted to test Sakura and Naruto to see whether herself and Jiraya had wasted their time on them. Their opponent was obviously Kakashi and they proceeded to retake the bell test, like they did all those years ago, but not before Naruto gifted him with a new title of Icha Icha straight from Jiraya.

In the shadows of training ground three, Akira, Tsunade, Shizune and Jiraya watched Sakura and Naruto fight Kakashi and attempt to retrieve one of the two bells tied to his belt. Akira watched in awe as her old teammates proved themselves; as Sakura punched and kicked so hard that she literally split the earth with her raw strength, as Naruto properly strategized his moves and didn't get caught in Kakashi's old tricks. Even though neither of them were showing their true power, both Sakura and Naruto were proving to be worthy of the Sannins' training. However, Kakashi hadn't been slacking off either, and she was starting to want to take back the statement she'd made to the Hokage the day prior. Kakashi's Sharingan was as sharp as ever, and his hand seal formation time had greatly increased, barely leaving any room for anyone to approach him before the Jutsu was complete. Maybe she would have a hard time beating him. However, in the end, Kakashi ended up getting defeated by Sakura and Naruto, simply because they threatened to spoil the ending of the book Naruto had given him earlier. Tsunade wasn't impressed, but Akira couldn't help but laugh.

"You three have certainly showed me some growth," Tsunade said, looking to Sakura, Akira and Naruto. "However, Kakashi, do you have something to say?"

"Well, I can't vouch for Akira's new abilities, although she was already good when she left. However, Sakura and Naruto did do a great job of taking the bells away from me, so..."

"Yes."

Akira, Sakura and Naruto all frowned, then looked at each other. Something was going on here.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked.

"We're talking about your status for the future," Shizune said.

"Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura Haruno. Akira Uchiha," Tsunade called. "You're all a team again, and starting today you'll be Team Kakashi."

"What'll we be doing then? What's the scoop?" Naruto asked.

"It means the four of us will form a team and carry out missions together," Kakashi spoke up. "It's not like the old days. Akira and I have had our fair share of missions together already, and you're getting added to the mix. We're not teacher and students anymore, we're all partners - equal Leaf Shinobi. Got it?"

"Finally part of a permanent unit, huh?" Akira said airily. "This is gonna be fun."

Team Kakashi had its very first mission the next day, and even though it was just a C-rank mission, everyone was excited, including Akira. She was in high spirits by the time the entire team joined up at their old rendez-vous point on the bridge, and didn't even care that Kakashi was once again late.

"I don't care that he's late," Akira said, stuffing her face full of rice. "This means I actually get to have breakfast even though I overslept."

"How can you oversleep? Didn't you wake up at the same time in the Sand Village?" Sakura asked.

"The sun rises an hour later in Suna. I thought I still had another half hour of sleep!"

"Yo," Kakashi said casually, finally walking up to the rest of the team.

"You're late!" Naruto shouted.

"Yeah, sorry about that. This time it took longer than I thought to write up the documents for the new team."

"Today's our new team's first mission! Aren't you fired up!?" Naruto asked, excited.

"Oh, come on! You're already annoying," Sakura complained. "It can't be helped. Kakashi-sensei's always had that look of disinterest!"

"You're starting to lose your dignity, here, old man," Akira laughed, nudging Kakashi with her shoulder. "Hm?"

Akira's eyes went from Kakashi to the eagle soaring through the sky. It was one of Sunagakure's eagles. The girl went to smile, but then she saw the eyes of the bird. They were green, not red.

"It's Takamaru..."

"What, the carrier?" Kakashi asked. "What does that mean?"

"He's the fastest in Suna. He's usually not deployed unless..." Akira said calmly, watching the bird fly out of sight. Then the fear washed over all at once. "An S-level emergency!? Gaara!"

Akira didn't even give time for anyone to protest before she put up a single hand in a half seal and vanished from her spot. In a flash, Akira was standing in the Hokage's office. Someone was standing in front of her, panting. No doubt they'd rushed here too, but Akira burst forward and addressed Lady Tsunade directly.

"I just saw Takamaru! What's the emergency in Suna!?"

Tsunade looked up from the scroll she was reading. In her eyes, Akira saw fear.

"The Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village has been taken by members of the organisation called Akatsuki."

Akira slammed her hands on the desk and hung her head.

"The second I leave... They were waiting. DAMN IT!" Akira bellowed. "I need to go."

"Very well."

"You're letting me go?"

"There's no point in stopping you. Besides, they're requesting our help anyway, considering we have more information on the Akatsuki than them. Also, Baki is specifically asking for you to find Kankuro."

"Kankuro?" Akira repeated, confused. "What about Gaara?"

"Kankuro went after Gaara... alone." Akira cursed. "I'm issuing you a new mission. The rest of the team will follow in due time. Go to the Hidden Sand Village and assess the situation. Report back, then follow the Sand's orders. Understood?"

"Understood!"

Akira placed a single hand in the same seal as before and instantly vanished from her spot, leaving a small gust of wind behind to ruffle the Hokage's documents. Moments later, Akira had reappeared on top of the cliffs at the entrance to Sunagakure. Akira's eyes widened. Everyone had been mobilized for the attack and the villagers that had been hurdled into a safe building were just now coming out into the daylight. Below her, what looked like a landslide covered the entire entrance to the village. Akira could smell the blood beneath them. A pained look crossed her face.

"Akira-dono!"

Akira's head snapped to her right. Baki was running up towards her.

"Akira-dono, thank you for coming!" he said, out of breath.

"Your village is my second home. There is nothing that would stop me from coming here," Akira said, shaking the man's hand. "What's the situation?"

"We're down at least twenty men. I'll know for sure when all the rubble is moved out of the way. The annoying part is that there was no sounds coming from the assault. It was done swiftly. But even if there was just one person, any movement echoes all the way into the Village."

"That's impossible! That would mean... But Kankuro and I spent weeks filtering through the staff when Gaara became Kazekage!"

"The only way is if they knew their attacker and didn't suspect anything."

"An inside job? Damn... What else?"

"There was at least one assailant. Kept flying in on these big white birds and blowing things up with something in his pocket. Lord Kazekage had the advantage for a while, but then something happened and he took the Kazekage away."

"But you think there was a second assailant?" Akira asked, looking down at the rubble.

"Trapped the only way in or out. Set a paper bomb on one of the bodies and triggered a chain reaction up the cliffside," Baki said. "And then Kankuro went after them. It's been a few hours since then."

"All right. Send a message to Lady Hokage to update her on the situation. There should be a few reinforcements from the Leaf coming soon. Expect Kakashi Hatake, Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, at the very least. I'm unaware if Tsunade will send more," Akira said, then jumped off the cliff and into the city. "As for me, I'll talk to the council. Get them to ask for more resources for you down here."

The second Baki nodded to her, Akira sprinted through the chaos of the recently attacked Sunagakure. She weaved through the streets with ease, the path to the Kazekage's residence known like the back of her hand. The girl burst through the doors of the building, feet slamming onto the dark green rug that ran along the entire hallway. Akira stopped at the closed doors and listened in on their conversation.

"That's preposterous!"

"I'm simply proposing this in case Lord Kazekage doesn't return."

"You're already thinking of replacing him! He's been a great Leader, we shouldn't give up on him this easily!"

"I think it wise to consider his siblings for the position, or maybe even convince Akira-dono to come back and repla-"

"Now is not the time to be discussing new candidates for the Kazekage!" Akira shouted, bursting into the Council room.

"Akira-dono!" a few of the men said, standing in respect.

"But if you thing about the worst-case scenario-"

"I don't care about worst case scenarios, Jōseki!" the Uchiha interrupted again. She never really liked him since he was opposed to appointing Gaara as Kazekage in the first place. "More important is the plan to rescue the Kazekage! He saved your lives, I heard. Numerous times!"

"It's more important to secure the Village-"

"There's your security!" Akira said angrily, pointing out the window. "He's been taken by the Akatsuki and you don't want to do anything for him!? You are infuriating, old man!"

Akira turned to the other men.

"Sajō, how many men can we spare?"

"Most of our men are taking care of the damages the Village suffered. You want to send more after Kankuro and Gaara?"

"No, I want them at the entrance of the Village, clearing the rubble so we can bury the men we've lost."

Sajō nodded and exited the room.

"Ryūsa, I need you to send word to Lady Tsunade. Ask for more reinforcements. The rest of my team is on the way, but if you need more man power, go ask for it." He left as well. "The rest of you, get your heads out of your ass. This is Gaara we're talking about. He's our Kazekage!"

"You speak as if this Village is your own, foreigner," Jōseki said in a dangerous tone.

"As long as Gaara is Kazekage, this Village is like my own."


	106. I've Got You

"Kankuro!"

Akira was about half a day into the desert of Suna, but her body was still accustomed to its heat. She detached a scarf from her kunai pouch and tied it over her head to prevent the heat from building up on her dark hair, but her skin needed no protection. After all, her tan that lasted the past two years hadn't left yet. But more importantly, it was half a day into the desert where Akira discovered Kankuro's puppets, all destroyed, and the puppeteer himself laying amongst the ruins, immobile. The Uchiha checked his pulse and was relieved to find him still alive. So she hauled him onto her back and concentrated twice as much Chakra as she usually did to instantly transport herself back to Suna.

"Akira-dono!" Baki called.

"Baki, take Kankuro to medical, now. He's alive, but in critical condition," Akira said.

"Of course. But where are you going?"

"After Gaara. I know, I know. I should wait for backup, but there's no time to waste. I've told you about the Akatsuki - all they want is Shukaku. Taking him out will kill Gaara, and I can't let that happen."

"Very well. Go."

"When my team arrives, tell them where I've gone. Kakashi will know how to track me," Akira said before leaving again. She turned back up to Baki and shouted, "Just tell him to look for green!"

Baki frowned, a little confused, but nodded nevertheless and took Kankuro away. Akira turned and began her sprint again, going in the same direction Kankuro was going. After a bit, she made a simple hand seal and brushed her hand to the sand.

"Tracking Partner Jutsu: Kakashi Hatake."

The second her hand left the sand, a bright green mark appeared, but it disappeared moments after, only to be visible to the person named in the Jutsu. It was something scrolls in her father's basement had taught her, most likely a Jutsu used by Itachi when he was in the Anbu and traveled in pairs. Akira kept doing this every so often as to leave a trail behind for her comrades to find her. But for now, it was just endless desert for days and days. Even as the sun set over the dunes and brought a chill that pierced Akira's body, the girl didn't rest or slow down. She munched on a few soy protein bars and nuts to keep herself running, drank some water to keep herself hydrated, but never once could she bring herself to stop when Gaara was in need.

Akira suddenly yelled loudly into the quiet desert. He voice echoed for a long time. She was angry at herself. Angry for not expecting the Akatsuki to wait for her to leave before disappearing with Gaara. How could she have expected to know this, however? She couldn't know that Itachi and Kisame had warned them of her talents. Or maybe, for once, she couldn't blame Itachi? Maybe they'd been spying on Sunagakure for the past two years and just happened to notice her training. In either case, she should have stayed longer. It was her job to keep Gaara safe and she just... left. How long did she have until the Akatsuki began the extracting process? How long did she have before it was too late to save Gaara? Akira didn't want to think about it, but as the sun came back up over the dunes, nothing else was on Akira's mind.

She had to save him.

By midday, Akira had traversed into the Land of Rivers. The hot desert sun was long gone, replaced by the soothing sound of wind between the trees and rustling leaves. But there was nothing peaceful about Akira. There was a wrinkle in her nose that had nothing to do with a coming sneeze. Her muscles were tight, her jaw clenched, and face contorted into and expression no one had ever seen before. Her rage held all the power of a wildfire, you could practically see the flames roaring in her eyes, ready to ignite anything that she came in contact with.

And it only got worse the second she spotted them. Standing before a giant rock in the side of a cliff were two men dressed in the signature Akatsuki coats. Akira blinked rapidly to awaken her Sharingan, and quietly moved to a position where she could see their faces. The taller one had bright blue eyes and very long blond hair, half tied high up on his head and the rest flowing freely. The bang hanging over his left eye concealed an eye scope, signifying he was a long range fighter. Thank fully, it didn't seem permanently attached and could be knocked off if necessary. The second was rather short, seemingly hunched and nearly crawling underneath the cloak. He had greyish-brown skin and three lines of dark hair that extended past his head. He wore a piece of fabric over his face, so Akira couldn't see it, but the way he dragged himself around made it look like he was heavier than he actually was, and if the girl looked closer, with the help of her Sharingan, she noticed that whatever that man was... it wasn't human. For some reason, whatever he was, it reminded her of Kankuro's puppets. Could it be..?

Akira watched as the blond man performed a simple jutsu, which made the rock slide upwards to reveal a tunnel. The second the two men began to walk inside, a large white owl swooped down behind them. Held firmly in its tail was Gaara, passed out, with his sand armour flaking off from his body. Akira had to stop herself from shouting his name. She couldn't give away her position. But seeing him like this... Akira's fists clenched and she grit her teeth. She was going to get him back, she just needed to wait for the opportune moment.

The girl's head suddenly snapped to her left, and she glanced over her shoulder. Over a dozen people had just come into range for Akira to sense them. She recognized most of them. Her team was on its way, as was Guy-sensei and his own squad. Akira's eyes narrowed. However, the incredible Chakras of Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha had also come into range, as well as a few others she didn't recognise. More Akatsuki, she suspected.

The opportune moment would have to be now.

Just as the two men and the giant owl slipped into the cave and rock began to lower itself, Akira quietly jumped down and slid underneath the stone before it went down completely. She lay there for a moment, listening to the footsteps get further away, before rising and following in after them. Akira walked down a short corridor and stopped at the end of it, peering around a corner and out at the large empty space in which the two men stood. All of a sudden, what looked like a hologram appeared, with nothing but piercing purple-ringed eyes being clearly noticeable.

Akira's eyes widened. One of the Akatsuki... was in the possession of a Rinnegan?

"You're late," a robotic voice said. "Prepare immediately."

"The Jinchuriki was unexpectedly strong," the blond said.

The giant bird floated down and gently dropped Gaara on the ground before disappearing into a puff of smoke. The two men moved forward, standing in front of Gaara. The hologram moved forward and began performing a Jutsu over Gaara's body. The Sharingan examined the hand seals for further use, but Akira didn't have to wait much longer to see what the Jutsu did. Seconds after the Jutsu was completed, something began to rise out of the ground behind the hologram. Akira's eyes widened. She should have been afraid, but something in the back of her mind was telling her that didn't need to be. And so, she stared as the statue rose from the ground. It was an earthen-coloured humanoid entity with a decayed appearance, a body shaped into a robe, and a number of spike-like protrusions on its back. When fully summoned, it towered over everyone and Akira suspected it would even tower over the tallest building in Konoha. The statue had a blindfold over its eyes, but once the hologram began another Jutsu, the blindfold dropped to reveal nine closed eyes. One for each Tailed-Beast, Akira suspected. The statue's wrists were bound, but the shackles fell at the same time the blindfold did.

The sound of the shackles falling to the ground paralysed Akira for a moment. Her mind suddenly went blank and she felt faint, but when the sound stopped resonating, she was more awake than before and the image of a pale yet beautiful woman flashed in front of her eyes. Akira shook her head and snapped herself out of her trance. Who's face had she just seen? Why had she seen it? And this statue... why did it's presence feel so familiar?

"All right," the hologram said. "Gather."

On each of the fingers of the open hands of the once shackled statue appeared more holograms. She recognised the outline of Kisame and her brother, but the others she didn't. The two men she'd followed in jumped up to each stand on a finger, as did the man with the Rinnegan.

"Now, let us begin. From now, it will take three days and three nights. Keep your attention to your real body as well. And Zetsu," the Rinnegan wielder said, looking over to the man with the venus fly-trap-like protrusions coming from his shoulders, "you keep watch on the outside with the body for the time being. Use the longest range."

"I know," Zetsu said.

"Three days?" Kisame's hologram asked. "Shouldn't we consider that it might take a little longer since we don't have Orochimaru?"

Upon hearing his name, Akira's fists clenched. How could she forget that he was once a member of Akatsuki? This was a good thing. Once the Akatuski was dealt with, and properly questioned, Akira would be one step closer to finding her old master, to finding Sasuke.

"If that's what you think, then get to it."

"Its a fair point," Itachi's hologram said.

As Akira narrowed her eyes as the hologram of her older brother, all the members of Akatsuki put their hands together in a simple seal. Then all of a sudden, each nail of the fingers they were standing on illuminated bright green, with the kanji for different words written on them. Zero appeared underneath the man with the Rinnegan, Blue appeared underneath the blond, White appeared next, Scarlet glowed beneath Itachi's hologram, The Boar appeared beneath Zetsu, under Kisame appeared the kanji for South, North came next, Three after that, and finally the kanji for Jewel glowed beneath the shorter man Akira had followed in. Akira stared at the empty spot where Orochimaru would be standing, silently wondering what kanji he had.

Her thoughts were cut short when a bright blue light began to shine inside the open mouth of the giant statue before her. It wasn't Chakra that overflowing from its mouth, but Akira didn't know what it was. All she knew, is that she was almost drawn to it.

"Sealing Jutsu: Nine Phantom Dragons."

Out of the blue mist inside the statue's mouth came nine yellow-eyed dragons. Akira was itching to jump in an grab Gaara, but she was certain that if she moved an inch at this time, she would be dead in an instant. She'd have to wait until they were all concentrated. That's what the girl was trying to convince herself of as she watched the nine dragons collide onto Gaara and lift him in the air inside a big blue ball of energy. For now, it didn't seem to hurt him, so Akira could relax enough to crouch down and relax a few tense muscles, but the second she needed to jump in... she'd be ready.

After what seemed like hours, Gaara began to twitch, which immediately put Akira into attack position. She stared in fear and anger as a pale red substance was pulled out of Gaara's eyes and mouth and floated all the way to the mouth of the giant statue. The second a drop of the red Chakra was absorbed by the statue, one of its eyes began to open.

When Akira's eyes locked with it, she experienced immense pain in her chest. Akira held her head in her hands, eyes wide in fear, in rage and in sadness, and so many more emotions she couldn't even discern anymore. Images of war, destruction and death flashed before her eyes, and then there was a tree standing peacefully in a valley until the images of death returned. It never stopped. It was the same thing over and over again. The woman's face, a peaceful tree, three children, and then war and fire burning everywhere.

Akira only snapped out of it when Gaara began yelling. Her eyes were on him in an instant. However, there was a sudden pit in her stomach, as if she hadn't eaten in days. Akira withheld a gasp. The eye that was barely open on the statue was nearly open wide. It had been days. Whatever she'd just experienced, it had been going on for over two days.

To compensate for her weakened state, Akira popped a food pill into her mouth. Within seconds, Akira felt more energized than ever before, but this state would only last a few hours. She had to make good use of it.

"It's about finished," the Rinnegan wielder said, just as the last drop of red left Gaara's mouth.

"YES, IT IS!" Akira bellowed as she came out of the shadows, her hands already placed in the final seal of a Jutsu. The blue cloud surrounding Gaara disappeared immediately. "WATER STYLE: GIANT VORTEX JUTSU!"

Out of Akira's mouth came a raging torrent. It rose as high as the top of the cave and swirled, swallowing everything in its path. All the holograms vanished at once, but the blond man and the short man remained, temporarily caught in the Jutsu that was made to crack skulls and drown you if you hadn't died on impact. The second the last stream of water exited Akira's mouth, the girl dashed forward and extended her arms on either side of herself, parting the water away from herself and Gaara who was slowly floating down to the ground, still immobile. The second Akira landed on the ground, she ran to Gaara and grasped him in her arms.

Just then, as the water from her vortex was coming back down and the two remaining Akatsuki began to return to their senses, the door to the hideout was blasted open by none other than Sakura. Akira gently heaved Gaara onto her shoulder and spread her arms wide, sending the water flying around Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto and a woman she didn't know, though by her appearance and the tales she heard from the Villagers in the Sand, Akira suspected it was the Honoured Grandmother, Chiyo.

"I've got two of them hot on my tail!" Akira shouted through the roar of her Jutsu. "I've got Gaara. Buy me time to get out of here! This place has a barrier, I can't use the Flying Raijin Jutsu!"

Everyone nodded and ran inside while Akira made a b-line for the exit. She swung Gaara back into her arms, and with all the strength she had left, she avoided the explosions of the blond and the poisoned needles of the shorter man, running as fast as she could. The second she was out of the hideout, Akira held up her hand in a single-handed seal and disappeared into thin air. Akira never slowed down as she sprinted to the hospital in Suna, but she did let out a breath of relief. The immediate danger was gone. The Uchiha looked down at Gaara when he began muttering something, and she couldn't hold back tears. He was alive.

"Don't worry, Gaara," Akira said, her voice cracking. "I've got you. You're safe."

* * *

 ***I know, I know. Chiyo gives her life for Gaara in the manga and the anime. Sue me. I wanted Akira to save him. Besides, Chiyo is too great just to kill off like that.***


	107. Strange Visions

The hot dryness of the dryness, for the first time in a long time, made her feel suffocated. Her clothes and hair, slick with perspiration, clung to her skin. Sweat rolled down her skin in thick, salty beads. She could feel her heart throbbing inside her chest. Her skin felt like it was roasting. Her lungs felt like they would burst and her throat was so dry. She began bouncing slightly as she ran, which wore her out quickly. She settled to stumbling along, barely conscious, as fast as she could when she entered the hospital. And the second that Akira had handed over Gaara to Temari, she collapsed with no one to break her fall.

 _"No, you have to ease your body into it. Tai Chi is something from another country, it's not like the martial arts we have. It's smooth and peaceful, designed to relax your mind, body and soul - to become at peace with yourself."_

 _"Well, the only thing I'm at peace with right now is the ground."_

 _"How the hell did you end up down there, Kankuro!?"_

 _Quiet days in Suna weren't rare, but Akira appreciated them all the same. It was a time where there were no drills, no training, just lazying around with her friends like she used to do back in Konoha. Though this time, her friends were Temari, Kankuro and Gaara. Temari had insisted on some form of training, so Akira stepped up to the plate and decided it was time to train the Sand Siblings for once. As they all practised their Tai Chi, or fell flat on their face in Kankuro's place, Akira listened to the sounds that came sailing in the breeze; the birdsong came so softly, the quiet hum of the city came echoing through the streets. As she changed position, Akira stared up at the clouds, floating mindlessly, until they condensed and darkened into small balls of storm._

 _Akira glanced over to her laughing friends, but they had vanished, nowhere to be seen. The Uchiha dropped her peaceful stance and went into one of attack, drawing out her Katana. Or at least she tried to, for she was devoid of weapons. Helpless, and surprisingly low to the ground. She was younger. All of a sudden, a large blast went off beside her and Akira ducked. When she looked over at the direction of the explosion, what she saw was the remnants of a village. The streets that once buzzed with life were empty. Gone were the food vendors and the women in their bright clothes selling handmade goods from carts and baskets. Gone were the children who played in the the crowds with their games and laughter. Gone were the stores with their windows of fine clothing or delicacies. Everything was replaced by burning hot flames that destroyed everything it touched, by the cries of the wounded strewn all over the ground and the weeping of their close ones. There was blood everywhere, death everywhere, until everything seemed to cease when a large sphere of stone floated into the air._

 _Akira looked around her. She was standing behind two very tall men, their arms outstretched towards the sphere. She could hear shouting from inside it, but while she was scared, she was also determined to get the screaming thing away, to watch it be removed from her village. It needed to go. The two men pushed the sphere up into the sky, until it was practically out of sight. Then, from the light of the sun in space, the rock sphere began to glow pure white - a full moon._

Suddenly, Akira's eyelids snapped open and she jolted upwards, breathing heavily with all her thoughts in high definition. It was just a dream. Then why did it feel so real? Someone snapped her out of her thoughts and pushed her back down, but landed on something soft. Akira looked up.

"Temari?" she asked upon seeing the girl. "Where is everyone?"

"Resting."

Akira looked over to her right. Both Sakura and Kakashi were out cold, cut up and bruised. Though Akira saw the constant rise and fall of their chest, and knew they were all right. Naruto was sitting up, arms wrapped around his knees, and staring blankly ahead.

"Naruto," Akira breathed. "You're all right."

Naruto's head turned towards Akira immediately, and he was at her side barely a second later.

"Akira, you're awake! I was worried!" he said loudly.

"Worried? How long have I been out?"

"You've been out cold for three days."

"Jeez, remind me never to take a food pill again," Akira chuckled.

"It wasn't the food pill, Akira," Temari said solemnly. Akira looked to her and frowned. "You just dropped to the ground the second you got here. You were holding your head and shouting."

Akira's dream flashed in her mind again.

"What happened out there?"

"I don't know, Temari... I don't know."

"What's all the racket over here?" Akira heard Kankuro say.

She was about to tell him off, as usual, but when she turned her head to look at him all she could see was Gaara, alive and standing. All of a sudden, Akira's heart was beating faster than ever and her smile lit up the room. She stumbled out of the hospital bed she was in and ran over to Gaara, trapping him in a tight hug. She cried into his chest unceasingly, hands clutching at his jacket, but she was still smiling brightly.

"You're alive!" she said through sobs. "I thought I was too late!"

"Akira's crying?" Naruto muttered, confused.

"Since when is that weird?" Temari asked.

"She's always been... cold, I guess."

"I CAN HEAR YOU!" Akira shouted, detaching herself from Gaara and hitting Naruto over the head. "I'm not cold! I just have a controlled emotional response!"

"Controlled emotional response, my ass," Kankuro laughed. "I think you've spent too much time with Temari."

"And what is that supposed to mean!?" Temari shouted.

Akira calmly instantly and looked over to the bickering siblings. Immediately her smile returned, then it turned into a quiet laugh. Even after near death and constant battle, everyone still managed to have a laugh. Akira looked back to Gaara.

"I did think I was too late, in my defense."

"You were just in time, apparently," Gaara said. He smiled. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

* * *

It took a few hours for Sakura to wake up and then patch herself up, but another two days before Kakashi even woke up. In the meantime, Sakura told Akira about the battle between herself, Chiyo and Sasori. She had suspected correctly in the end. The reason why the short man reminded her of Kankuro's puppets was because Sasori was in fact mostly puppet himself - the legends Kankuro had told her were true. Then Naruto spent the next hour exaggerating his battle with the blond, apparently named Deidara. Soon after, Guy and Lee came in shouting their usual nonsense, while Neji and Tenten gave a proper recollection of the events that transpired on their ends.

Akira was by Kakashi's side when he woke up, and she glanced down at him with a smile when his eye landed on her.

"Have a nice nap, old man?" Akira chuckled.

"How long was I out?" Kakashi asked, sitting up.

"About two days. What the hell happened? Don't tell me Itachi used Tsukuyomi on you again, because I'll kick his scrawn-"

"No, it was me. I pushed myself too hard."

"The Sharingan again?" Akira said then sighed. "How long did you use it for you to get this way?"

"About ten minutes, I'd say," Kakashi said airily.

"Ten minu- Kakashi, you've used the Sharingan longer than this and been fine!"

"Yeah... but not the Mangekyō Sharingan."

Akira's eyes widened.

"Since when have you had that!?"

"Years. I've just never really used it."

"Don't!" Akira said, sounding slightly panicked. Kakashi stared at her. "You know what happens if you use it too much, right!? Your eyesight will deteriorate!"

"I know. Don't worry."

"Don't worry?" Akira scoffed. "Kakashi, all I've been doing recently is worrying! Worrying about Gaara, worrying about you and the team, worrying about myself! I can't just not worry."

"About yourself?" Kakashi said, worry in his eyes.

"Not here, not now. Besides, everyone's already ready to go." Akira stood and held out her hand. "Come on. I'll give you a hand, old man."

Kakashi stood up on his own, defiantly, but Akira had to catch him before he face planted. She rolled her eyes at him but laughed, and helped Kakashi over to Guy-sensei, who was much more suited to carrying him, more specifically, his height. However, Akira swung both hers and Kakashi's bags over her shoulders to compensate. Everyone said goodbye to Suna and the Sand Siblings, Akira a second time, this time parting ways with Gaara after a brief hug, which he surprisingly returned.

About half a day into the desert, Akira and Neji were leading the pack, with the rest not far behind. Except for Guy-sensei, who was far behind with Kakashi, groaning at each step he was making.

"Sensei, you guys are so slow!" Tenten called to the straggling men. "Hurry!"

All of a sudden, Akira heard Kakashi shouting. When she turned around, he was flying in midair while Guy switched around his backpack. He caught Kakashi on his shoulders to give him a piggyback ride. Everyone looked at them oddly. Two grown men giving each other rides on their backs... Akira didn't even want to ask. Even Neji's usual composure had been replaced by a look of annoyance.

"I see! It's training, isn't it!" Lee shouted.

"Now this way, it'll be faster!" Guy shouted, sprinting off into the distance with Kakashi shouting on his back.

Lee suddenly twisted his backpack around and crouched down.

"Neji."

"I refuse!" Neji said, indignant.

While Akira burst into laughter, Lee gathered Neji and Tenten's backpack and swung them all around him, then burst out into a run right after his sensei. Neji sighed and glared at Akira, which only made her laugh more, but in the end Neji managed a small chuckle and continued on the journey with Akira up front. Well, behing Guy-sensei and Lee, anyway.

In three days time, the coolness of the Konoha forest had returned, and Team Kakashi and Team Guy were nearly back home. The pines were several houses tall, reaching toward the golden rays of morning. Birdsong came in lulls and bursts, the silence and the singing working together as well as any improvised melody. A smile painted itself upon Akira's face, rose-pink lips semi-illuminated by the dappled light. That was until Guy-sensei and Lee began screaming.

"Move, move, move! Last spurt!" Guy shouted, then as he crossed the torii leading into the village, he yelled, "Goal! First place!"

Kotetsu and Izumo stared at him incredulous, and their looks only got worse when Lee came charging in yelling about second place. Everyone else from their teams wore looks of pure annoyance and disappointment.

"As usual, I can't keep up with their craziness," Neji sighed.

"Although, we did run along after them," Tenten said, most likely reluctantly.

"Ridiculous!"

"Okay! Is everyone here?" Guy asked loudly. "Then let's go report to Lady Tsunade right away!"

"Um, Guy, I'll take Kakashi from here," Akira said, nervously watching a near passed out Kakashi hang loosely off Guy's back. "All right?"

"Of course, little lady!"

Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, and walked up to Guy to removed Kakashi from his... care. He was barely responsive, even after being plucked off Guy.

"I'm actually going to take him to the hospital. It would be better if Lady Tsunade came to us instead."

The Uchiha rose one arm in a seal and then vanished from sight, reappearing in front of the hospital. Immediately, nursed flocked to grab Kakashi. They set him on a gurney and Akira followed them quietly. She still had to tell Kakashi about what she'd experienced in the Akatsuki hideout and then at the hospital in Suna. If she was there when he woke up, there would probably be no one around to eavesdrop.

The Medical-nin wheeled Kakashi into a room and Akira sat on the bed beside him, staring quietly at the man, until she got up and looked away with a red face the second they began undressing him to inspect his wounds. The nurses pulled the curtains around him just as Tsunade and the rest of gang appeared.

"Akira, why is your face so red?" Naruto asked, poking at her cheeks. "You're like Hinata all over again."

"S-Shut up, Naruto!"


	108. Ready Or Not Here I Come

"Akira, I need to speak with you."

It was the day after she'd returned from Sunagakure. The sun was high up in the sky, the streets smelled of Jasmine and Cherry Blossoms, and Akira was just delivering some lunch to Kakashi because last time he was in the hospital, he kept complaining about the food when the nurses weren't around. Since she planned on spending quite some time in the hospital with him, she'd decided to make lunch for the both of them. However, just as they were about to begin eating, Tsunade barged in and pulled Akira away from her bento box and into the hallway.

"I'm tasking you, Naruto and Sakura to find a new teammate."

"A new teammate? But the three of us work great together. Plus we have Kakashi-"

"Who will be in the hospital for another week. I need you to leave on a mission by no later than tomorrow," Tsunade interrupted. "I'm also assigning a new team leader for the time being."

"What? That's ridiculous. It's called Team Kakashi for a reason," Akira argued.

"Your team has been low on staff ever since Sasuke left. Now, there's a chance we might have some decent intel on him."

"One of the Akatsuki spilled something," Akira said in realisation.

"Five days from now, at noon, one of Sasori's subordinates is supposed to be at Tenchi Bridge in the Village Hidden in Grass with Orochimaru."

Akira sighed.

"Then there's no time to wait for Kakashi to recover."

"No, this must be done immediately," Tsunade said. "Go find Naruto. Help him find another teammate."

"You're gonna let me finish my lunch, right?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes and left. Akira watched her go, unsure, and returned to Kakashi long enough to scarf down her lunch and pack up her things. She then transported herself to the top of the Academy and searched for Naruto. It wasn't long before Akira spotted him alongside Shikamaru and Choji, as well as a small commotion going on in the same place. Akira blinked quickly and stared over at the scene, only to find strange white beasts running around the place. She looked a little further and spotted a man crouching down, seemingly the source of the strange beasts. Akira put up her hand and vanished again, reappearing just behind the stranger. He barely had time to react before a blade was at his throat, though he didn't seem particularly bothered by its emplacement.

"I'd appreciate it if you removed those beasts from the streets. You can be fined for disrupting the peace."

"Akira!" Naruto cheered.

The pale man put away his scroll, brush and inkwell, them dismissed the beasts. Judging by the splashes of black ink everywhere, Akira assumed that the beasts he summoned were made of ink, and he brought them to life via the scroll. It was a pretty interesting Jutsu, if Akira was being honest with herself.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"You're pretty quick, aren't you?" he said, a smile on his face, though it was clearly fake.

"Thank you. Though I would appreciate it if you answered my question."

The man stood and Akira removed the blade from his neck.

"I'll be seeing you around, Akira, Naruto."

Akira watched as he put up a single hand and a swirl of ink rose around him, only to make him vanish into thin air. The Uchiha narrowed her eyes at the spot he once stood.

"What the hell, Akira! Why'd you let him go!?"

"He's one of ours," Akira said. "You didn't notice the Leaf bandanna? Besides, I have a feeling we will be seeing him again. So you can get your payback, then. For... whatever it was you were doing. What were you doing?" Akira shouted, mood changing from casual to cold. "Fighting in the village isn't permitted unless its to protect it."

"Hey there, Jōnin, calm down," Shikamaru said with a chuckle. "Naruto just called Choji the 'f' word and the kid interrupted."

"Oh, well then you got what was coming to you."

"Akira Uchiha."

The girl turned towards the sound of her name.

"What is it, Kirai?" Akira said upon seeing a fellow Jōnin.

"Message from Lady Tsunade."

"Already? I left her ten minutes ago." Akira sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Thank you, Kirai."

Kirai nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Akira groaned and walked off, reading the scroll that Kirai had handed to her. Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto stared after her.

"Naruto!"

"R-Right! Coming!"

Akira and Naruto walked through the village side by side, but it was almost as if they weren't heading to the same destination considering Naruto was walking so leisurely and Akira was walking with her back as straight as ever. Naruto didn't think much of it. If one thing hadn't changed about his teammate in the past three years was how she got during a mission. She could erase the stuck up way she talked, but Akira could never erase the Uchiha pride, the sheer will to live up to her name. Soon enough, Akira and Naruto made it to the rendez-vous point that was indicated on the message. Sakura was already waiting there.

"This is the spot we're supposed to meet... right?" Naruto asked, looking around.

"Yeah, no doubt about it," Sakura said.

"Then where is everyone?"

"I don't know, but the people Lady Tsunade arranged for us to team up with better not be late like Kakashi. I can only tolerate that from him," Akira said, crossing her arms. "till, don't you think it's odd that Tsunade tasked us to find someone, then just stuck us with random people out of the blue."

Just then, from behind a wall walked out the man Akira had confronted earlier. She narrowed her eyes at him. Akira knew something about their meeting wasn't left to chance. He had that same fake smile on again. Suppressed emotions. Fancy Ninja Art. Jōnin level. Akira glanced up at his shoulder to where a Tantō's handle was poking out. Scratch that - previously or currently Anbu.

Akira would have analysed further, but Naruto began shouting.

"Hey, it's you! You're the guy that was on the roof earlier!"

"Shut up, Naruto," Sakura complained.

Another man walked in behind him. He wore a military uniform, which suggested he was at least at Sakura's rank of Chūnin, but the way he walked made Akira lean towards Jōnin. His smile at least was genuine, and made him less suspicious to Akira. Though she would still be watching the both of them for the duration of this mission.

"As of now, I'll be taking Kakashi's place in Team Kakashi," the man said.

"Hey, Naruto, do you know him?" Sakura asked, looking over to the pale man.

"Yeah, he's the one that attacked me when I was with Shikamaru and Choji!" Naruto said, pulling out a kunai.

"Enough, Naruto."

"I don't think you should be ordering us around until we know who you are," Akira said, stepping between the two strangers and Naruto. She turned to the pale man. "I'm only going to ask this once more. Who are you?" Akira turned to the other. "And the same goes for you."

"Call me, Yamato," the second man said.

"We should call you, Yamato, or is your name, Yamato?"

"Either or."

Anbu, Akira thought immediately.

"You're comrades on the same team now, so you guys need to get along," Yamato said, looking over to the pale man and Naruto.

"Comrade... this guy!?" Naruto complained.

"Sorry about before," he said, putting on that fake smile again. "Since we're going to be teammates from now on, I just wanted to find out how strong you were."

"You didn't have to go through the trouble of doing all that," Naruto grumbled, putting his kunai away.

"But thanks to that, I now know you're a worthless guy with questionable equipment."

"Hey, what did you say!?"

"Don't start fighting right at the start, we're going to be teammates!" Sakura shouted, holding Naruto back.

"Some things are inexcusable!"

"I do have to admit," Akira said, glancing up at the boy, "that that was rather rude."

"Is that so?"

"People aren't going to like you if you say stuff like that," Sakura added.

"I like nice... ugly women like you."

It took a moment, but eventually Sakura was in the same position Naruto just was, though it was Yamato who was holding her back. Akira looked over to rude boy.

"You still haven't told me your name."

"It would be best to start and try getting along," Yamato said, looking at him as well. "Though, we should all introduce ourselves properly."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki," the boy said angrily, looking at the rude stranger.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," the girl said, doing the same thing as her teammate.

"My name is Sai."

"Just Sai?" Akira said. When he nodded, smiling, the girl sighed. "And I'm Akira Uchiha."

"Well, I suppose that's good enough for now," Yamato said. "I will now explain our mission as Team Kakashi. The five of us will now head for the Tenchi Bridge, capture the Akatsuki spy who has infiltrated Orochimaru's organisation and bring him back here. It's an opportunity for us to get information on Orochimaru and Sasuke Uchiha. We will obtain a precious source of information with which we can draw up plans for both the assassination of Orochimaru and the retrieval of Sasuke. Be sure to proceed with caution."

"I don't know if I'm the only one who shares this opinion, but if Orochimaru happens to be there, I am not going to stand down. I will fight him."

Yamato stared at Akira for a moment. Akira suspected that Tsunade told him all about them, including the Uchiha's relationship to the Snake Sannin. He looked to Naruto, who shared the same expression, and then to Sakura who seemed unsure. However, when the pink haired girl looked over at Akira and Naruto, her expression changed to match theirs.

"It would be best if you didn't engage him. He is one of the three Sannin, after all."

"Logically speaking, you're right. However, there's no way I'm going to miss an opportunity to have a friendly little spar with my former Master," Akira said.

"Very well. We'll meet up at the main gate in an hour."

Yamato and Sai disappeared from sight in an instant. Akira took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, a peaceful look on her face. Then all of a sudden she clenched her fists and smiled viciously.

"Ready or not, Maru-sama... here I come."


	109. Wood Style

The footpath that Akira and the others were following meandered through the woods, intertwined with thick tree roots and weaved its way through the delicate scent of the wild violets and chrysanthemum. The light that beamed down was green, shining through the canopy of budding and blossoming trees. The path was wide, allowing the four teammates to walk side-by-side behind the team captain, each footprint barely sinking into the ground below.

Sakura and Naruto were still glaring at Sai, whose fake smile hadn't diminished yet, though Akira remained impassive, not yet having a reason to quarrel with the new recruit. She was simply weary of him, considering his suspected background and the fact Akira, Sakura and Naruto hadn't chosen him in the first place. For Tsunade to tell her to find a teammate and then assign her one, at least to Akira, meant that Tsunade hadn't chosen him either. Someone as pulling strings somewhere.

"What is it?" Sai asked, smile faltering as he looked at Naruto.

Akira's eyebrows furrowed for a split second. Oddly enough, the way Sai spoke reminded her of the person he was replacing.

"Please don't stare at me like that... I'll pound you."

Akira chuckled lightly. He definitely reminded her of Sasuke.

"Hey, you tick me off with everything you say," Naruto grumbled.

"I don't really mean it," Sai said.

"You liar!"

"I'm just trying to portray myself as that kind of character."

"Then you do mean it!" Naruto shouted. "No, you won't do!"

All of a sudden, Sai stopped to glare at Naruto. Everyone else also came to a halt.

"You really tick me off."

"Enough, Naruto," Akira stated firmly, eyes shining with a speck of fury. "You know better than to act this way. Trust and teamwork is what was taught to us."

"I know, I know," Naruto sighed.

"Then act like it. You're insulting Kakashi by being like this."

"He's not a member of Team Kakashi!" Naruto yelled, pointing at Sai. "The other member of Team Kakashi is Sasuke! This guy was just chosen to cover the loss of Sasuke. I don't acknowledge him as a team member!"

"Well, that works out better for me," Sai said. Akira looked at him, frowning. "He betrayed the Leaf and ran off to serve Orochimaru. I don't want to be lumped together with a cockroach along the same lines as Orochimaru."

"Defending you doesn't give you a free pass to bash my brother, Sai," Akira said plainly, putting her arm in front of Naruto to stop him from attacking. "That being said, you were out also out of line for calling Sai out like that, Naruto. I apologize on his behalf."

"It's okay. I don't mind," Sai said, the fake smile returning.

"Good. Then, Yamato." The man in question snapped out of his daze. "I think we can keep moving?"

"Right."

"Though, Sai," Akira said airily, continuing on her walk. "If you ever insult Sasuke in my presence again... I'll kill you."

* * *

It seemed that Akira's small display of controlled anger was enough to push Yamato into booking a few rooms at a hot-spring inn, to increase the chances of the new team bonding together. Akira wasn't convinced, but she wasn't about to say no to an all-paid vacation during a mission. Sakura and Akira spent hours in the hot spring, soaking all the tension out of their bodies, and reminiscing about the last time they were at a hot spring together, trying to figure out what was behind Kakashi's mask.

"What do you mean he showed you!?"

"We went out for breakfast after I got promoted to Chūnin. I offered to look away while he ate, but he just ate. And there was no Ino-pig to block my view," Akira chuckled.

"Lucky!" Sakura gasped. "So..." Her expression turned mischievous. "What's he look like?"

"I... don't really remember."

"Huh!?"

"Well, the last time I saw his face was three years ago." Akira smiled softly. "Though, I do remember him being quite handsome."

"So, lucky!"

The conversation went on like this for some time, until the sun began to set and everyone gathered together for quite the lavish dinner. It was a rather pleasant, though because of the conversation Akira and Sakura had earlier, Akira couldn't help but think of the few times she and Kakashi had cooked together. She looked up at Yamato, who was laughing with Naruto. Akira thought he was nice enough, but no one could ever replace Kakashi.

Sakura and Akira bunked in the same room for the night. Akira rolled out her futon beside the window and immediately went to sleep, hoping to get as much rest as she could for the next part of their journey tomorrow. Thankfully, Sakura had the same thing in mind, so they bid each other good night and soon fell into peaceful slumber.

Akira woke up first the next morning. She sat up and stretched her arms and shoulders, yawning. The girl opened her eyes and sighed contentedly - it was the first time she'd ever gotten a proper night's sleep on a mission, and Akira wasn't going to let it go to waste. Quietly, she changed back into her clothes and folded up her futon again, before neatly placing in the corner of the room. She grabbed her bags and her pouched, attached them to her body, then slipped out the window and into the nearby forest.

Akira walked on the wall perpendicular to the inn, which slowed the flow of the river. It dropped in close to the inn and ran clear. The girl brushed her fingertips against it. The water was cool and refreshing, no doubt from the snow-capped mountains it came from. The river was lined with trees, pine, birch, oak, fresh and green. Akira took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air. She dropped her bag and took another few steps forward, reaching the center of the wall. The sound of running water in the river had a relaxing, almost hypnotic quality, perfect for Akira to start the day with some peaceful Tai Chi.

A few minutes later, the sound of approaching footsteps reached Akira's ears.

"Come to insult me, this time?"

"No, just thought I'd 'disturb the peace'", Sai said, sitting down beside the spot Akira was posing.

Akira chuckled and quietly finished her set of poses before sitting down beside Sai. He had begun drawing.

"Drawing isn't just part of your Jutsu, huh?" Akira said, looking at his sketchbook. She smiled. "Who knew Mr. Foul-Mouth had a more sensitive side. That's a surprise."

"That fake smile... you're still holding onto your threat, huh?"

"I am. But who said that smile was fake?" the Uchiha said, looking back at Sai's picture. "I'm actually pleased you have a hobby like this. Makes you more... human."

"I see."

"You're not drawing a landscape? It's beautiful out here."

"Do you have any... hobbies, you called them?"

"Yeah, I have a couple," Akira admitted. "I can cook decently, and I garden. Occasionally I'll sing."

"Sing?" Sai said, surprised. "You're odd."

Akira laughed.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Can you sing now? It's only fair since you saw me drawing."

"And since when do I fight fair, huh?" Akira said with a smirk. "What're you going to call that drawing?"

"I don't know," Sai said, smiling that fake smile.

"Are you even going to name it?"

"I've drawn tens of thousands of pictures, but I've never given one a title. So this one doesn't either."

"Aren't you supposed to give a picture a title?" Akira asked, frowning. "Like what emotion you were feeling at the time?"

"To be exact, I couldn't name a picture even if I wanted to," Sai said, his smile faltering. "Nothing comes to mind. I don't feel anything. Nothing."

"So," Akira whispered, "that's what Root does to its Shinobi."

Sai's head turned immediately towards Akira. His expression wasn't readable, but Akira hoped he felt something on the inside, even if it was a negative emotion.

"No wonder you can only say such callous things," Akira heard Naruto say from behind.

"It's about time for us to leave," she heard Sakura add. "Captain Yamato told us to come get you."

"All right," Akira said in standing.

Naruto walked over and stared at Sai's abstract drawing. He frowned.

"This drawing's nothing special."

"You're right. Just like you."

"I'm gonna be straight with you," Naruto said, irritated. "I can't stand you! If you've got a problem, stop with all the fake smiles and tell me to my face! I'll take you on anytime you want to fight."

"I don't have a problem with you. I don't care about you at all," Sai said. "Go on ahead. I'll join you once I've tidied up."

"I'll give you a hand," Akira said, bending down to gather Sai's brushes. She spotted what looked like an old picture book and picked it up. "This isn't printed. Did you draw this too?"

"Yes."

"A picture book, huh? Can I take a look at it on the way?"

"I can't let you look at it. It's not finished."

"All right, then," Akira said, handing the book back to Sai.

"And I don't hand this over to people. This is my older brother's book, so..."

Akira watched Sai pack his things. If that book was drawn by him, how could it belong to his older brother? Naruto, Sakura, Sai and Akira then met up with Yamato by the entrance of the hot-spring inn. Before they left, he scared Naruto into admitting that the team's rapport had gotten better. Then Team Kakashi set off once again. Eventually, Yamato led the team off the path and into the tall grass of a forest, and soon, the sun was setting, bringing to life all the sounds of the crickets and toads. It was odd though, passing through here. However, Akira knew why Yamato was going to all this trouble leading the team through here. The information about this mission came from Sasori, and who was to say it wasn't a trap to lure them into an Akatsuki ambush? It was safer to trek through the woods.

Dusk soon came to bring the five ninja the moonlight, as well as the signal to set up camp for the night, or at least for a few hours of rest. However, instead of choosing shelter amongst the trees, Yamato chose a clearing in the woods, leaving them wide open to any and every enemy. Akira was about to protest his decision when he performed a very special Jutsu. All of a sudden, roots and planks of wood formed and rose out of the ground to create a rather large building, which Yamato designated as their camp. Akira and Sakura stared at each other. They knew what this Jutsu was.

The Jutsu of the First Hokage.


	110. Fun? I Can't Wait

Neither Sakura or Akira had the time to question Yamato about his Jutsu, as Naruto dragged them inside the newly erected house. It was bigger on the inside than it looked and quite intricately designed. It would be impressive to Akira had she not know Yamato was using the First Hokage's kekkei genkai to build a house. This was just an insult if you asked her.

Akira and Sakura set up their sleeping bags by the window, while Naruto and Sai took oppsite sides of the room. Yamato had set himself up in another room, and he joined the rest of the team once they were done setting up their things. Yesterday he had avoided serious talk, preferring to concentrate on making sure everyone got along, or at least more or less. However, today was different. Today, Yamato asked Sakura about Sasori, anything pertaining to him whether it be personality, habits, mannerisms or speech patterns. The only way to approach the spy in question was to act as Sasori himself.

"If Sasori doesn't show up, then the spy wouldn't either," Sakura said.

"Being a spy is a very risky act, after all," Sai said. "Which means the spy is probably quite cautious."

"Then, are you going to transform into Sasori, Captain Yamato?" Naruto asked.

"I'll probably have to," Yamato said. "Since he always his inside his puppet Hiruko, my Wood-Style Jutsu would be ideal. Though if Akira recognizes Chakra signatures in the area, she can easily take his place as well. If the spy is someone you've fought before, then Akira you'd have the best chance at getting the information. Since you can predict his movements with your Sharingan, it would also be ideal if he immediately attacked. I can supplement you with my Jutsu if the need arises."

"If if comes to that, I'm on board," Akira said in agreement.

"Also, if this turns out to be an Akatsuki trap, I'll be heading in alone first."

"The way we was talking..." Sakura said softly. "I don't think he was lying. And there was a spy in the Sand Village as well."

"Don't remind me," Akira grumbled.

"This is just assuming things go wrong," Yamato said. "You guys stand by until I give you instructions."

"Either way, there's no doubting that the spy will be considerably powerful," Sai said.

Naruto clenched his fists, suddenly determined.

"Let's do this!"

"All right, then. Now for the main issue," Yamato continued. "The goal is to arrest the target, not to kill him even if battle ensues. We'll lose important information if the source dies. As this is a delicate operation, depending on what Akira senses, either she or I will make the first move. The rest will be back up." Everyone nodded. "First, the target will be restrained. Second, should the target fail to be restrained, and this turns into a battle, we'll shift into battle formations."

"We'll be using the buddy system for that, right?" Akira asked.

"The buddy system?" Naruto asked.

"Come on, Naruto, get with the program," Sakura grumbled.

"When one person takes action, another backs you up," Yamato explained. "In this case, Akira, Sakura and I will be each other's backup. Naruto and Sai will form the other team."

"Sounds good," Akira stated.

"Why do I have to be partnered up with him? Naruto complained.

"Because I said so," Yamato said.

"Captain Yamato," Sakura said timidly. "I think Naruto and I would make a better team. We've known each other the longest and we work really well together. I mean, Akira and I do too, it's just..."

Akira stared at Sakura. Kakashi wasn't there to keep Naruto's temper in check. Tsunade had probably asked her to keep an eye on him. It would be easier for her to do that while in a team with him. Although...

"You're the only medical ninja on the team, Sakura," Akira spoke. "You can't get hurt. The best place for you would be with Yamato."

"Akira's right. We can't risk our only medical aid," Yamato said.

"Understood."

"As Sai said earlier, we have to assume the enemy is very skilled. A mistake in teamwork could be fatal. I'm sure you all have something to say about this, but just concentrate on the mission for now."

With that, Yamato stood and exited the four young ninja's room, leaving them all in tense silence. Akira stood and returned to her sleeping bag, sitting cross-legged on top of it. She put the back of her open hands on her knees and closed her eyes, beginning a quiet meditation.

"What're you doing?" Naruto asked, poking Akira's forehead.

"What does it look like I'm doing, you numbskull?" the Uchiha growled, causing Naruto to withdraw his hand. "I'm meditating."

"Why?"

"It's a habit I got in Suna. I had nightmares. Only way I could sleep was by clearing my mind before going to bed. Now shut up and go to sleep." Akira sighed. "It's safe to assume that the sky is already on his way to the Tenchi Bridge. We'll need all the rest we can get for tomorrow."

* * *

It was another day's march for Team Kakashi until they were within reach of the Tenchi Bridge. Most of that time was spent in utter silence, with the occasional muttering coming from Naruto, or Akira and Sai. Though she didn't trust him at all, for the time being, Sai seemed to be a decent partner, and if you ignore the callousness of his statements, he was easy to get along with. However, Akira knew that when this mission was over, she'd have to go to Lady Tsunade and ask about him properly. It was strange for two Anbu to be selected for Team Kakashi, and even more worrisome that one was from the Root organisation.

Though, those feelings were suddenly cut short once they arrived in range of Tenchi Bridge. As they were preparing to head towards it and commence their mission with Yamato as the decoy, the hair on the nape of Akira's neck stood up and a shiver ran through her body. She didn't even need to use her sensory technique. Just be sensing his presence, Akira knew exactly whose Chakra this belonged to, and its feeling sank deep into her bones.

"Yamato..." Akira whispered. "I need to be the decoy."

The Captain and the others turned to her. By the sound of her voice, they all expected her to look scared or at least worried, but the look on her face didn't suggest any of that. Everything from the way she held herself, to that look of unassailable confidence in her eye said she was determined. What could they do but believe it?

Before anyone could ask who it was, Akira began preparing. With his Jutsu, Yamato helped Akira gain the appearance of the Hiruko puppet, and with a bit of coaching, she got her voice down low enough to sound exactly like him. She didn't need much teaching on how to be rude and impatient however, and immediately vanished from her spot without telling them anything. They'd see soon enough, anyway. She jumped out into the path that lead to the bridge and walked slowly, just like Sakura said Sasori did. Akira quickly had the Tenchi Bridge in sight and with that the spy that Sasori was supposed to meet. The bell on the hat Sasori wore began to chime the second Akira stepped on that bridge, the wind catching in it. The spy was already at the center of the bridge, staring at her with his hood on. She couldn't see his face, but that Chakra... it was unmistakable.

"It's been a long time, Lord Sasori," the spy said, removing his hood. "It's been five years, hasn't it?"

"Were you followed?" Akira asked in Sasori's voice.

"No, I wasn't."

"How're you doing?"

"I've still got the strange sensation from when I remembered who I was after your Jutsu broke. I still feel heavy-headed."

"I've got some questions for you, Kabuto" Akira said.

"I don't have much time, so please keep it short. I risked my life to get here without Orochimaru finding out."

So Orochimaru didn't know. That was either a good thing, or a really bad thing. Who knows which way the Snake Sannin would take this?

"I want information about his hideout and the location of Sasuke Uchiha."

"There are several hideouts," Kabuto admitted. "We move to a different hideout each week so as to not be discovered. Of course, there are hideouts not just in the Village Hidden in the Sound, but in other lands as well. Spies for Orochimaru infiltrate and act as informants. But there are all sorts of means of transport, so they're not easily tracked."

"Where is it now?"

"We're not in a hideout on a small island on a lake to the north. We'll be moving again in three days. Sasuke Uchiha is there as well."

Akira gave a grunt in response, but it wasn't in response to Kabuto words, although it was quite convenient timing. She could feel it. Crawling against her skin came a subtle numbness in her shoulder. Slowly it grew, going from numb to warm, to burning hot. There was a slight nausea rising too, but that was easily controllable, unlike the growing pain in her shoulder, spreading so that it engulfed her entire left side. Akira hadn't felt this pain in three years.

"By the way, about what you ordered me to do, Lord Sasori..." Kabuto said, bringing Akira's attention back to him. "Even after his reincarnation, Orochimaru uses a Jutsu to apply a protector to the cellular specimens of his discarded body, therefore I was unable to analyze the cellular data."

"How unfortunate," Akira said sarcastically.

"Now, please, hand over the item in question. I can't afford to stay here any longer," Kabuto said in a hurried tone.

"Well... this sounds like an interesting conversation..."

That voice... Sasori's eyes looked upwards. He looked exactly the same; skin so pale it was almost white, piercing golden eyes that held the cold fury of a snake, and the waist length black hair that peacefully swayed in the wind surrounding them. Akira's eyes stilled, a deadness taking over them. White knuckles squeezed a concealed blade, and her teeth gritted from effort to remain silent. Her hunched form displayed a hatred that was like acid - burning, slicing, potent.

Kabuto immediately backed away from the man and went by Akira's side, ditching his cloak and pulling out a kunai. Orochimaru stared at her.

"That outfit... it sure takes me back... Sasori..."

"You followed Kabuto."

"Oh, I just thought I'd thank you," Orochimaru said almost pleasantly. "This kid you sent to me has come in very handy. The number of human subjects necessary for the development of one new Jutsu is over one hundred. Thanks to this kid's Medical Ninjutsu, I've been able to reuse test subjects numerous times. There's been a great shortage of them, you see..."

Akira's Sharingan activated immediately, and she jumped back a few meters before Kabuto could slash at her with his Chakra Scalpel. She kept her head down, hiding her Sharingan. He'd been faking the whole time. Orochimaru must have broken Sasori's Sleeper Agent Jutsu a long time ago. That was the breaking point of Akira's patience. At that moment, she was blinded by a five-course serving of rage that tasted bitter, yet surprisingly satisfying.

"You're obviously not Sasori... so who might you be?" Kabuto asked.

Akira laughed, but it held no humour. Simply malice.

"Don't tell me... that you've forgotten about me already?"

Akira held up her hand, giving the signal for the others to join her in battle. Sasori disappeared in a puff of smoke, and when it dissipated, Kabuto and Orochimaru were met with the red of the Sharingan. Sakura, Sai, Naruto and Yamato landed behind her.

"My dear, Akira. How you've grown," Orochimaru said with a smirk. "Care to have a little fun?"

"Fun?"

Akira smiled venomously and rolled her left shoulder, instantly igniting the pain once again.

"I can't wait... Maru-sama."


	111. Raiju's Torrent

He laughed heartlessly, looking down at her as if she was just another child. But she wasn't, and he knew it too. Instead of lowering her head she lifted it, a stony glare carved into her dark eyes. The pain in her shoulder burned her better than flames, and despite being in more pain than she could ever imagine, Akira's venomous smile remained. She'd retained much more of her former master's personality, Sakura thought, observing the near identical look on Akira's and Orochimaru's faces. Though she seemed to be more concerned about the rising anger coming from Naruto.

His eyes had turned red and his pupils were now slitted, the red Chakra of the Nine-Tailed Fox seeping through his skin to form what looked like a cloak. It had ears and even a tail, which rapidly multiplied into three. With the third tail came a powerful swirl of dark red energy around Naruto. Akira looked at him over her shoulder, eyes still holding the same coldness. She looked at his eyes. They were fixed on Orochimaru.

In the blink of an eye, many things happened. First, Naruto dashed forward, heading directly for Orochimaru. Second, Akira's judgement went out the window, and she did something she wouldn't be able to explain later with anything else other than: it worked with Gaara, it will work with Naruto. She stood between Naruto and Orochimaru, holding her arm out. Third, Naruto's forehead stopped an inch away from Akira's palm, red slitted eyes staring at the three tomoe of the Sharingan.

Akira caught Yamato's surprised expression.

"Calm... down..." Akira said, voice dangerously low.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Naruto bellowed, baring his fangs.

The Uchiha narrowed her eyes at Naruto then went to turn back to Orochimaru, but the Chakra from the Nine-Tails extended from his arm and reached Akira, slapping her to the side. The girl went flying off the bridge and quickly descended. She watched blood leave her mouth as she fell. The pain throbbed in her gut, it was deep and warm, like someone had their hand in there and was squeezing her organs as hard as they could. Everything cooled the second she hit the water, and she slowly sank down into the river, unable to move. Akira's head began to pound, every cell in her body starting to scream for oxygen. But she couldn't fight, head threatening to explode - she had to take a breath. She didn't, and Akira fell further and further into the darkness until it threatened to swallow her whole.

However, Akira's body refused to shut down. Just as her eyes were beginning to close, a fire ignited in her shoulder and her body jerked awake. Muffled screams filled the water, and as Akira's eyes opened, white Chakra began to flow out of her eyes and mouth. Slowly it began to swirl all around her, creating an enormous whirlpool in the river below Tenchi Bridge. The familiar black flame-like markings spread on her skin and turned to flame before it cooled to an ashen white. Her arms and legs grew longer, claws replacing her fingernails. Scale-like protrusions extended out of her elbows, as sharp as a knife, and out of her back like a dorsal sail. As they came out, the sliced Akira's skin open and were stained red, but even as the blood dissipated in the water, the coloration remained. Out from her hair grew ragged horns, going way past her head as they curled outwards, then inwards toward the end. Akira stopped screaming the second her feet touched the bottom of the river, and she propelled herself upwards, a stream of white Chakra following in her wake.

Akira burst out of the whirlpool and broke the surface of the water. She stayed still in the air for a moment before propelling herself back towards the bridge that she was kicked off of. Her landing created a crater inside it, and the already damaged bridge split in half. She calmly jumped back and landed on a solid piece of construction. Sharingan eyes opened and glared at the people before her. This transformation, although involuntary, wasn't like the previous ones. Despite being consumed by burning hot pain and rage, Akira's mind was still completely there, able to recognise Yamato and a passed out Sakura. Sai was nowhere in sight, and neither were Kabuto, Naruto and Orochimaru.

"Naruto..." Akira said in a low, raspy voice.

"T-The other side of the bridge," Yamato stuttered.

The Uchiha marked her spot with the Flying Raijin Jutsu then ran off so fast, a shockwave was created from her initial departure. White Chakra surrounded her and created a trail behind her as she ran. ran until she reached a forest and came upon a crater within a crater. At the center was Naruto, she was sure, though in this form he was no longer recognisable. The Nine-Tailed Fox's cloak had gained a fourth tail and created an endoskeleton that was dark red in colour. So dark in fact, it could look black at first glance. Ahead, up in a tree, was Orochimaru, golden eyes examining Naruto's transformation, until he became aware of a second source of immeasurable Chakra.

"NARUTO!" Akira bellowed, baring fangs.

Pure white eyes turned to face her, and fangs bared to challenge her. Akira got onto all fours, ready to pounce, and concentrated all her Chakra into her Sharingan. In an instant, Akira had shot her body forwards and landed her palm on Naruto's forehead. All of a sudden, it was like Akira was transported to a different place, while in reality, she was only seeing inside Naruto with the help of her dōjutsu. Before her, an inch away from her hand, was an orange kitsune, giant red eyes glaring at her. It bared its teeth at her. Akira glanced to her left, at the calm Naruto who was standing beside her. He wasn't in any different form, simply wearing his regular clothes, as well as a look that mixed surprise and confusion. She too had taken back her regular appearance.

"You..." the Kitsune growled. Akira's eyes turned back to it. "I see... You're an Uchiha."

"I can see you now... Kurama," Akira whispered. "I seems like this isn't the first time you've encountered the Sharingan."

"Indeed. It resembles the Sharingan of the Madara Uchiha of olden times. But you don't... Takara..."

"Hell if I know who that is."

Akira took a step closer to Kurama and gently flicked him on the nose. All of a sudden, the Nine-Tails exploded into a cloud of red smoke, vanishing from Akira's and Naruto's sight. The girl smirked. It worked, after all. Though quite later than she'd anticipated. The surrounding forest appeared once again, as did Akira in her Cursed Mark form. Slowly, the dark red endoskeleton began retreating, leaving behind a bloodied and seriously injured Naruto. Akira easily picked his thrashing body off the ground and swung him over her shoulder. She looked to Orochimaru, red eyes glaring into gold.

"Don't... move..."

The girl held up a hand and vanished, appearing at her previous locations moments after. Sakura was conscious now, and she and Yamato were facing Kabuto. They all stared at her in fear. Akira gently dropped Naruto at Sakura's feet and bowed, vanishing without a word as she ran back to where she once was. However, Akira didn't stop this time. She continued running and slammed her fist so hard into Orochimaru's face the he was sent crashing into the nearby cliffside.

Out of the cloud of dust eventually came Orochimaru, indented into the cliff with a gaping hole in his chest.

"I see..." he said calmly. "You've managed to make unwanted transformations controllable... and the form has changed. You've grown strong."

All of a sudden, Orochimaru jerked forward and then backward. His mouth became wide and two hands came out of it, pulling it wider until a new Orochimaru had completely exited the discarded body which, upon touching the ground, turned to ash. Akira narrowed her eyes at him. That was a pain.

"I wonder how good a match you'd be against him... I'm sure my Sasuke would kill you."

"Maybe..."

White Chakra seeped out of every pore and created a flame-like cloud around her. It dug into the earth instantly, causing a shockwave to rush outward and blow everything in its path. Orochimaru stood tall and resisted the shockwave, but the trees around her bent enough for the treeline to go down a few meters. In the blink of an eye, Akira was beside Orochimaru, too close for his own comfort.

"But I'll tell you something... Maru-sama," Akira whispered ominously. "I want what you did to me... to haunt you forever. I am so much more... than you made me to be. And you know what?" The Uchiha cracked a vile grin. and his eyes widened. "Sasuke might be able to kill me. But you... Maru-sama, couldn't kill me... even if you tried for a hundred years."

Orochimaru backed away only a split-second before the sharp extension of Akira's elbow bisected him. As he flew backwards, out of his sleeves came half a dozen striking snakes, teeth bared and hissing at her. In response, Akira growled and ran forward, chomping down and ripping the snakes from his arm. She swung at him numerous times, claws barely centimeters away from his face, and he dodged all of her punches efficiently, jumping backwards as Akira tore forwards. The young woman was quick to pull out her Katana from its saga and gracefully twirled around to clash her sword with Orochimaru's face. However, it came into contact with another sword, one that was coming out of his mouth. She took a step back and held the blade even, a perfect undaunting horizon as it pointed directly at her former master's face. They clashed again and his blade shivered under the brutality of her strength.

"Weapons don't belong in the hands of old men," Akira said sarcastically.

Her blade flashed as she brought it over her head. She took a deep breath and concentrated on her breathing, and eventually, with each breath a cloud of pale green spread over her blade and extended it by at least double. It hummed a low swift tune when she brought it down, and Orochimaru could only jump backwards to avoid being split in half. When the blade's tip touched the ground, Akira swung it back up and diagonally, sending a sharp gust of wind over to Orochimaru, and bisected him. His upper half flew into the sky, but soon it was reattached to the lower half by dozens of snakes. Akira growled.

"So annoying..."

"I'd call it... practical," Orochimaru said, smirking.

Akira and Orochimaru clashed again, although anyone who was looking onto their battle, at this point, would think they were dancing more than fighting. They mirrored their movements and moved around the terrain smoothly, not a brusque movement in sight. Not a hit was landed, equally matched in their own fluid style of Taijutsu. Their breaths were even, cool fury was held in their gaze, at least until Orochimaru was hit by a kick to the stomach. He skidded backwards, tearing up up the ground as he went, but he fired back immediately, using a striking snake to slam Akira in the shoulder and send her to the ground. Akira looked up at Orochimaru, breathing heavily. He glared back at her, chest heaving.

"Your host body is deteriorating fast, isn't it?" Akira said, an impassive look on her face. "It's three years are almost up, after all. I wonder if Sasuke will let you use him..."

"It's not a question of whether he lets me. I will use his body," Orochimaru said.

"No, see, it is a question. Because Sasuke isn't going to want to let you use him. The question is, can you make him give in?" Akira chuckled lightly. "I don't think you can. He's an Uchiha, after all. We weren't born to be soft and quiet, and give in to anything." The girl put away her sword and performed a few hand signs. "We were born to make the world shatter and shake at our fingertips!"

Akira thrust her hands forward, fingers aiming directly at Orochimaru. A halo of bright blue light began to spread around her fingers as the technique activated, until it encircled Akira's hands to form an orb of concentrated energy. The light was so bright, their entire surroundings was washed in a shade of blue. Suddenly, several dozen bright beams of electricity flowed like water out of the orb and shot themselves at Orochimaru, all focused on the man's heart.

"Storm Style: Raijū's Torrent!"


	112. Sai's Betrayal

"Storm Style: Raijū's Torrent!"

Dozens of beams of electricity flowed like water out of her hands and shot themselves at Orochimaru, all focused on the man's heart. With the clench of her fist, Akira wove the beams of light together to create a giant laser-like ray, which washed over the surroundings with a bright blue light. Akira barely had any time to see Orochimaru's eyes widen before the light blinded her. And although she didn't see what happened next, Akira felt something immense rise out of the ground as it trembled the earth all the way to Yamato, Sakura and Kabuto. Then the sounds of shattering wood and metal rang in her ears until all fell silent.

It took a moment before the light vanished and the dust cleared, but when it did Akira's Sharingan was met with debris of earth and metal and wood all over the crater in which she stood, with a line carved into the ground where her beam of electricity had traveled. At the end of it was Orochimaru, fallen backwards and head buried into the ground as if he'd been knocked back. Though, he seemed otherwise unhurt. Akira cursed loudly. What the hell kind of barrier had Orochimaru summoned to block that attack? Thankfully, it seemed that any attack more powerful than that would have seriously injured him, as whatever he'd summoned was destroyed on impact.

Suddenly, Akira's gaze shot downwards and her Sharingan picked up near imperceptible movement. The girl jumped backwards just as a long blade pierced the earth and rose towards her, soon followed by Orochimaru's head atop his elongated neck. The sword approached Akira and she slammed both her clawed hands on either side of the blade. It sliced her fingers but stopped the movement enough for her to push it downwards and into the ground, twisting it so that the flat surface was facing the sky.

Orochimaru's eyes widened as Akira jumped up onto the blade and dashed towards him, hands moving rapidly as she thrust her arm forward. The water from the gourd on her back burst out of its container and soaked the Sannin's blade, and as the first drops began to fall from it, Akira performed a few hand seals and zapped the water with electricity. The water amplified the electricity's power and eventually it reached Orochimaru, shocking the man to the core. The blade retracted immediately, gracelessly dropping Akira to the ground. While the man was still down, Akira dashed towards him, pulling out her Katana. Orochimaru was able to block the attack that came, but he landed carelessly and was left open for a kick to the head, sending him flying once again.

Akira's knees landed harshly on Orochimaru's shoulders and effectively pinned him down just as her Katana crossed in front of his neck. Their eyes narrowed simultaneously as they stared at each other, red staring into gold. Rage burned in her eyes, the cool anger long gone. It was something inhuman, twisted and distorted, but strong. The acidity of it was residing in her stomach waiting to be spat out of her mouth in foul and vulgar words, except those words never came.

"I might not be able to kill you, my dear," Orochimaru said quietly. "But you don't want to kill me... do you?"

A gust of wind tousled her hair. Her eyes remained unwavering, but soon the wind also began to cool her temper. Dark horns and scales retracted back into her skin, nails and teeth dulled, skin returned to its original shade, and limbs shortened. Akira emerged from the anger she possessed and stared at Orochimaru, eyes returning to their normal shade of midnight blue.

"No..." Akira whispered. "I just want my brother back."

"I can take you to him."

"I'll take him from you."

"You can try."

"Try isn't part of my vocabulary, Maru-sama."

Akira stared at her former master, feeling nothing other than conflicted. Her rationale, her mind, her common sense was telling her that anything Orochimaru did was for his benefit, and that there was a near certainty that he'd figure out a way to keep her wherever he'd take her, but a small part of her, her heart, wanted to believe that this man would simply lead her to her brother and let her depart when she was satisfied.

"Will you return the favour... and let me leave afterwards?" Akira asked.

"You'll know the location of my hideout," Orochimaru answered.

"You're changing location in three days, assuming Kabuto was telling the truth. What do you care?"

"He was."

"Then, will you?"

"Yes. Though I can't promise I won't try and stop you."

Akira suddenly felt something cold on her neck. She rolled her eyes.

"Finally made it past Yamato and Sakura, I see... Kabuto."

"Get away from him," Kabuto ordered.

Akira's blades slowly pulled away from Orochimaru's neck and slid them back into her uwa-obi. She eyed him one last time before standing and pushed the kunai away from her neck. Orochimaru stood.

"Take me to Sasuke."

"Wait."

There was the tip of Akira's sword by Sai's neck the second he'd spoken. Of course, it was only a clone so it'd never hurt him, but the threat was still there if she could find where his real body was.

"I knew I couldn't trust you," Akira said lowly, glaring at the clone.

"Seems you aren't to be trusted either," Sai replied. He turned to Orochimaru. "I'm Danzō's man. I'm not your enemy. I have something to speak to you about."

"Danzō... that doddering old fool is still alive, huh?" Orochimaru smirked. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I have a message from Danzō to Lord Orochimaru."

Akira's eyes narrowed at him. Sai was just a tool, a messenger for Danzō. Had he been given this mission because Danzō wanted Sai to deliver a message to Orochimaru? No wonder he wasn't trying to get along with the team. It wasn't his true mission.

"The truth is..."

"Before that... choose your words carefully when you speak to him," Akira warned, inching her sword closer to Sai's neck. "If not, you'll die."

"By his or your own hand?" Sai countered, smiling that stupid smile again.

"Say something ill-advised and you'll find out."

Sai's smile dropped and he looked to Orochimaru, which gave Akira the time to search the surrounding area for Sai's body. The Sharingan awakened and it searched the entire area.

"I can only relay what Danzō told me," Sai said, his smile returning. "If that does not satisfy you, then I'll leave it up to you."

Akira suddenly jerked her sword forwards and sliced through the clone's neck.

"When you address someone who is higher-ranking than you, it's common courtesy to show your face."

The clone suddenly fell into a pile of ink, and Sai emerged from the ground just behind it. He unearthed himself and landed where his clone used to be standing, Akira's blade still mere inches from his neck.

"Isn't this fun, Kabuto? It's like I have a second body-guard."

Akira's gaze hardened. Don't say anything, she told herself. She was protecting him simply because he was her ticket to Sasuke. Now wasn't the time to correct him.

"All right... I'll listen to you."

"To tell the truth, ever since the destruction of Leaf, Danzō has been yearning for an opportunity to come into contact with you, Lord Orochimaru. That's everything Danzō asked for me to convey."

"That's extremely interesting," Orochimaru said. "But why should I believe it?"

Sai went to reach for something on his back. At first, Akira thought it'd be hid Tantō, but her Sharingan knew otherwise. Kabuto however, made a move immediately. In seconds, he had Sai on the ground with a Kunai pinned to his neck. A few of this things had scattered onto the ground; some scrolls, an envelope and the picture book that belonged to his brother.

"You're such a scaredy cat, Kabuto," Akira sighed, putting her Katana. "He wasn't reaching for the Tantō."

Akira turned and picked up the envelope only, discretely hiding the picture book underneath an unravelled portion of a scroll. At the same time, she marked it with her Tracking Jutsu.

"I assume he was getting this?" Akira said in standing.

Sai nodded so she handed the envelope to Orochimaru. He opened it and read it for a few seconds, then ordered Kabuto to let go of Sai.

"We're taking him with us."

Kabuto released Sai and stood, heading over to Orochimaru. Akira helped Sai up, and stopped him a split second before he went to retrieve what had fallen out of his bag. Orochimaru and Kabuto began their trek out of there, and Akira forced Sai along in to the trees.

"Those are my things."

"Those are your things which are now serving as a trail," Akira said quietly. "We're leading them straight to Orochimaru's hideout, all right?"

"Leading who?" Sai asked.

"Our team, you idiot!"

"You're not with Orochimaru?"

"I used to be... in a way," Akira said. "But I'm not now. I'm just taking advantage of the fact that he still wants me to serve him. I'm going to see Sasuke and then I'm leaving."

"You can't just easily leave him, you know."

"I just beat him in a fight. Of course I can." Akira glared at Sai. "As for you, I'm going to make sure whatever destruction you're planning with Danzō doesn't happen."

Suddenly, Akira glanced backwards. Yamato, Naruto and Sakura had already begun following them. Her eyebrows furrowed. Hopefully they deduced Akira's little message, and Yamato was seeing the faintly glowing blue lights she was leaving behind with her feet every time she stepped on a branch. If not, then they'd attack on sight, labeling both Akira and Sai as traitors to the Leaf.

"We're being followed," Akira called.

Sai glanced at her, and while there was no emotion on his face she could tell that he was asking her why she'd done that. Why go through all of the trouble to have her team follow, but give away her position to Orochimaru and Kabuto. Akira knew that they'd be suspicious of herself and Sai going along with them so easily. After all, we were talking about a person raised to be a spy and a girl who'd refused to go with Orochimaru on several occasions. Hopefully, this would alleviate some of their suspicions.

However, as Kabuto turned around and pulled out a kunai, Akira knew that it was already too late.


	113. Takara

It was a false alarm, Akira thought with relief.

Kabuto and Orochimaru had only figured out that they were being followed and that it's because it concerned Akira and Sai, not because they'd conspired with them. To distract them, Kabuto created a near-perfect replica of Sai through the use of a dead body stored in a special scroll, and strung him up to the trees to serve as a warning to Yamato, Sakura and Naruto. In the end, the four ninja resumed their course through the forest eventually coming up to a stream where Kabuto insisted on cleaning his scalpels used for the dead body.

Akira took this opportunity to refill her gourd of water. She threw off her bag and her weapons and set them beside the boulder Orochimaru was sitting on, as he watched Sai and Kabuto by the river bank. A childish urge washed over Akira the second she turned back to the water. She shrugged; she had to collect water anyway.

"What're you doing?" Orochimaru asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Something rather childish."

The girl dashed over to the water. A small step rose out of the water to catch her foot, and then each step got higher and higher the further into the river she got, until she reached the center and dispelled all trace of the steps. She brought her knees together and let herself fall into the water with a large splash, much to Kabuto's annoyance, demonstrated by the shouts she heard before water surrounded her and when her head popped out of the middle of the river.

"This isn't time for playing!" Kabuto shouted. "How old are you? Four!?"

"Shut up, Kabuto," Akira spat, rising out of the water. "There was a point to this."

Akira looked down at her own reflection in the water, and at the drops of water beginning to fall. She put her hands in a simple seal and concentrated her own Chakra, until she could feel it coursing through her veins like blood. She inhaled deeply, and as she exhaled, all the water soaked into her clothes, hair and pores rose off her body. Slowly, it went from clear to a pale blue colour, as Akira's Chakra infused itself into the water. When the water stopped rising, Akira uncorked the gourd that remained on her back, and calmly filled it with the water floating in midair.

"You've developed that quite a bit since we last trained," Orochimaru noted. "It almost controls itself."

"I only need to twitch in one direction and it follows," Akira said, returning to the river bank.

"It's impressive."

"I suppose."

"What was even more impressive was that Jutsu you used against me," Orochimaru said. "Do you know what it is?"

"Not really. I know that it's the Storm Style common to Kumogakure, but other than that, I don't know much."

"How did you discover the Storm Style?"

Akira looked at Orochimaru and rose an eyebrow.

"You're asking too many questions, again."

"I've never done such a thing."

Akira scoffed a small smile on her face.

"You miss it, don't you?" Orochimaru asked. "The training, the learning..."

The girl sighed.

"I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't grateful to you for teaching me everything you did," Akira admitted. "Many people think I'm crazy for it, but I respect you greatly for doing what you do. Although your methods are illegal and completely barbaric, and despite the fact that you're completely insane, striving for knowledge is... admirable. And learning everything you taught me was... more than I could ever ask for." Akira looked out to the water. "So, yes, sometimes I do miss it. But then I realize that if I'd stayed with you, I'd have turned out like Sasuke. So blinded by hatred that I'm no longer living. Just existing.

"I'm not Naruto, nor am I Sasuke. I don't speak of these bonds they so desperately want to create or to destroy. I don't have a goal to become Hokage, or to kill Itachi at any cost. But when I first met Team Seven, I told them that I wanted to become the best ninja that I could be, to become the Head of the Konohoa Military Police just as my father was... and that still stands. I can't just... exist to achieve that goal. Therefore I cannot let myself be corrupted any further than I am now, even if it means sacrificing the power and knowledge you can offer.

"Besides, I can't suffer from the Curse of Hatred so easily," Akira said with a smile. "I still have most of what I hold dear. I lost Kai, sure, my parents as well, and both my brothers are complete idiots for leaving the village, but I've got my other friends, I've got my team, I've got my village. As long as that's safe... then I think I can live freely in the grey area of life without fear of succumbing to hate."

Akira shook her head and laughed self-deprecatingly.

"You ask too many questions, and here I go with the talking. Just like old times, huh?" Akira stood and picked up her things. "Looks like Kabuto's done. We should get going."

"Ordering me around now, huh?"

"That's the thing about young shinobi, Orochimaru," Akira said, emphasizing the man's name. "They have the unfortunate habit of surpassing their masters."

Orochimaru stared at her, an unrecognizable look in his eye, as she walked away and went over to Sai. Kabuto came over to him and gave him a questioning look that Orochimaru never responded to. Instead, he instructed everyone to resume their trek over the river and through the forest again.

Akira didn't know why she'd said all that to Orochimaru. It wasn't like before when even a mere glance from him could paralze her, like when they'd met in the Land of Sea. She could defy him now, defy even his Cursed Seal, and yet she was opening up to him like she used to do when they'd take a break from training. She'd trained for this, learned to suppress his influence on her, but then again, maybe there were certain things that weren't meant to be suppressed. Maybe these bonds Naruto and Sasuke spoke of, whether in hatred or desire, Akira did have...

It didn't take much longer to reach Orochimaru's hideout. It was set inside a cliff, behind a rock door that Orochimaru parted with a simple Jutsu. The second the doors opened, Akira's heart clenched. She could almost feel his Chakra. Akira wondered what her presence felt like as she passed through the doors behind Orochimaru and Kabuto. She and Sai followed them down a long tunnel illuminated by torches set at even intervals. At the end of it was a room with pillars holding up the ceiling. At the back, a giant statue of a snake filled the wall.

"You're late... you were supposed to join me for some new Jutsu training this afternoon... Orochimaru."

Akira wanted to scream, to cry, to run to him and never let go, but her emotions never made it to her face. Her complexion remained pale and matte, her eyes as steady as if she was staring at a wall. Akira stared at him, heart hammering in her chest, but never blinked or looked away. To get out of here alive, Akira needed zero distractions, and that included properly reuniting with her brother after so long. The emotions would come after.

"Talking rude like that again," Kabuto scoffed.

"Don't get so angry," Orochimaru said, unphased by Sasuke's remark. "I brought you a visitor."

Akira heard Sasuke scoff.

"I see three years made your arrogance worse, Little Brother," Akira stated, taking a step forward.

"Being born ten minutes before me doesn't give you the right to call me, Little Brother."

"I don't need your permission... Little Brother."

In an instant Sasuke was directly in front of Akira, looking down on her. He'd grown substantially since she'd last saw him. She looked him up and down taking note of his appearance. For once he wasn't wearing shorts, but rather dark blue pants underneath a blue cloth that covered him from his stomach to his knees, which he secured with a purple rope belt; as was common to Orochimaru and his followers, save Kabuto. A white shirt was tucked into this cloth and open at the torso. Akira looked back up at him, and they glared at each other for a long time, fury burning into each other's eyes. All of a sudden, Akira laughed, confusing everyone in the room.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh. I was just expecting a bit of doom and gloom, a little snot and tears, a battle or you telling me something about severing bonds or whatnot, but you're just annoyed that I called you Little Brother?" Akira chuckled again. "I'm sorry, it's just too funny. Here I was hoping to give out some fancy speech about Naruto wanting you back home."

"You're insane," Sasuke said, frowning.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"How long will you be staying?" Orochimaru asked, looking to Akira.

"Long enough for a tour, then I'll be on my way," Akira said, confidently walking past Sasuke.

"You came for a tour?" Sasuke asked, irritated.

"Disappointed I didn't come to fetch you, dear brother?" Akira said seriously, staring back coolly at Sasuke. "Don't worry. That part comes later." Akira poked at the snake statue. "So, who's giving me the tour? Sasuke?"

"Get lost."

Akira glared at Sasuke. She wanted to scream. He wasn't making this easy. She knew that Sasuke wouldn't want to leave, and that it would be hard to get him out of Orochimaru's clutches, but this was excessive. All she needed was half a second alone with him to put him under and drag him out of here.

"Who's this guy?"

"How are you? My name is Sai," the boy said, smiling again.

"I already don't like you," Sasuke said.

"It seems I'm the kind of person people don't like... one way or another. Even if I try and make a smile. Just recently, Naruto expressed his dislike towards me."

Sasuke suddenly seemed moderately interested.

"I've heard a lot about you from him. It seemed he was looking for you these past three years," Sai continued.

Akira looked at Sai. Where was he going with this?

"There used to be a guy like that... wasn't there?" Sasuke said indifferently.

"Naruto said he thinks of you like a real brother. That's what I heard from Sakura. And Akira threatened to kill me if I spoke ill of you."

"I only have one real brother. And he's the man I'm going to kill."

With that, Sasuke disappeared out of sight. Akira glared at the spot he once stood. Couldn't he at least have spared her half a second? After sensing the power coming off him, though, Akira doubted half a second would be sufficient after all. The next best thing was to get a layout of the place so that when Sakura, Naruto and Yamato arrived, she could grab Sai and get out alive.

Akira glanced at Sai, who looked back at her. What was that all about? Was he trying to gauge his response? In any case, it was stupid of him to get a rise out of Sasuke like that. Sasuke's temper had always been quick to boil over. Talking to him like that risked getting him killed. He had probably simply deemed Sai unworthy of his effort, which is why he hadn't attacked.

"Rude," Akira said. "He could have spared his sister a minute or two." She turned towards Orochimaru. "You could have taught him some manners, too, you know."

"Watch your tone," Kabuto warned.

"You watch your tone, Kabuto Yakushi."

"Behave, children," Orochimaru said, almost chuckling. He pulled out the envelope Sai had for him. "Kabuto, make a Bingo Book using this."

Akira looked at the envelope at it when from Orochimaru's to Kabuto's hand. So, that's what was in the envelope - a list of names. Considering it was Danzō who was behind Sai, Akira suspected it was a list of people under the Hokage's command. If memory served, he was one of the people against the Third Hokage. Tsunade followed more or less the same regime, so naturally she'd be an enemy too. The question was, how many people were listed in those pages?

"I'll give Akira the tour. Sasuke can wait a little longer for me."

"Yes, sir," Kabuto replied.

"Come, my dear."

Akira glared at Kabuto before following Orochimaru. When she passed Sai, she risked whispering to him.

"What was that all about?"

"I was trying to see why you all want him home so badly."

Akira's eyes widened a bit. That was surprising coming from Sai. In the short time that she'd known him, things that weren't immediately clear to him or pertinent to the task at hand never seemed to interest him, so why was the reason Sakura, Naruto and Akira wanted him home so badly of interest to him?

"Akira?"

"Yeah... I'm coming."

With one last glance at Sai, Akira followed Orochimaru down through the halls of the hideout. It was quite dark, only sparcely lit by torches here and there, and the floors, walls and ceiling were all patterned the same way, like stones weaved together into some intricate swirling pattern. Akira kept track of every door and every turn, taking note of the layout as she went. She listened hard for the path Kabuto and Sai were taking, until they both stopped and Sai remained still inside a room. Akira would track Sasuke as well, that would prove to be too much of a hassle considering he could probably disrupt his Chakra signature.

"I'm sorry that Sasuke is making it so difficult for you to escape with him," Orochimaru suddenly said.

"I'll live," Akira said. "It's not like I won't have any other opportunities."

"You won't after I use him as a vessel."

"I told you he won't let you do that. He's too stubborn."

Orochimaru led Akira into a large room with a few bookshelves lined with parchments, scrolls and books. There was a table at the center, a few faded bloodstains on it, and Akira didn't look at it much longer than that by fear of what her imagination could concoct about what sort of experiments had happened on it. Orochimaru lit the candles, and Akira approached the front of a desk, casually leafing through a few papers. There were dozens upon dozens of instruction pages, Jutsu that she'd never seen or heard of before, and information relating to so many other subjects. Looking at the library he had, Akira suspected Orochimaru had more information that the all the books contained in the Hokage's office.

"You've brought me here because..?"

"For this."

Akira turned to Orochimaru. He was holding out a dark blue book, the silver detailing shining in the low light. Akira took it and looked it over, but there was no title. She looked back up at Orochimaru, an eyebrow risen. He handed her a scroll as well.

"And this?"

"It's a scroll about the Storm Release kekkei genkai."

"A bloodline trait? But there was never an Uchiha who possessed a kekkei genkai other than the Sharingan," Akira said, eyes wide.

"Usually yes, but it seems you're special."

"But I've never even heard of anyone in Konoha ever having this kekkei genkai!"

"There was one," Orochimaru said, looking at the book he'd given her.

Akira wasted no time in leafing through the book. It seemed it was a book on the history between the Uchiha and Senju Clans of the Warring States Period, before Konohagakure was even founded. The first few chapters relayed information on the Period itself, as well as the Clans involved in the constant wars: the Senju and Uchiha. After that, there was extensive research done on each main person of the Clans involved. On the Uchiha side, Madara and Izuna, who both ended up defeated by the Senju. It didn't list any kekkei genkai other than the Sharingan, however.

"It doesn't say that Madara or Izuna had the Storm Style kekkei genkai, Orochimaru," Akira sighed. "Are you just messing with me?"

"Keep reading."

Akira rolled her eyes and sighed, returning her gaze to the book. The next few pages talked about Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage, and his Wood Style kekkei genkai as well as his quest to ally the Senju and the Uchiha, though he ended up killing Madara. Then there was the Second Hokage, someone Akira held in high praises due to the fact they were both adept with Water Style Jutsu. Akira was about to shout at Orochimaru about there being nothing constructive in the book, but Akira spotted a familiar name. Further down, the Storm Style kekkei genkai was mentionned. Akira looked to next page. A drawing of the three of them were there.

"She's actually a person... And a Senju..."

"Oh, you've heard the name before?" Orochimaru said, his interest piqued.

Akira looked at the names underneath the picture.

"Hashirama... Tobirama... and Takara Senju?"


	114. She Is Wrath

Takara... Senju?

Always there were more paths and no clues. Akira's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the page section with her name on it, then re-confirmed her possession of the kekkei genkai. She returned her gaze to the picture of the three supposed siblings. Takara shared Hashirama's dark hair and Tobirama's red eyes. There was no doubting it, they were similar-looking enough to be related. But how could she, an Uchiha, have a kekkei genkai that ran through the Senju bloodline. If anything, Lady Tsunade or even Yamato should have this kekkei genkai, not her.

Akira thought back to the visions she had when she was in the Akatsuki's hideout. Was it her? Was Takara the girl she'd been seeing in her visions? No... She wasn't. Pale brown hair and dark blue eyes didn't fit the Senju girl. Akira cursed under her breath. Once again, more paths but no answers. Considering this involved the Senju, a visit to Lady Tsunade was in order when she returned.

"Where have you heard that name before?" Orochimaru asked, bringing Akira back to reality. She'd almost forgotten he was there.

"That's none of your business, really," Akira said, still a little absent-minded.

"Oh come now, that's no way to thank someone."

"Can I keep these?" Akira asked.

"You're asking me?"

"Yeah, what am I doing? Jeez... These are mine now, and I'll be leaving."

"So soon?" Orochimaru said, sounding almost disappointed.

Akira stuffed the book and scroll into her pouch and made her way to the door, but she stopped under the frame. She chided herself for it, and turned around.

"Are you really going to let me leave?"

"I said I would, didn't I?"

"You've been known to go back on your word," Akira said, an unimpressed look on her face.

"You're imagining things, girl," Orochimaru said, going around his desk to tidy it up.

"Remember that time you said you'd treat me to dango but ended up drilling me for four hours?"

"Ah, yes... I do remember that."

Akira almost laughed. She caught herself beforehand. Laughing with Orochimaru? She'd die before that happened.

"Well, if you're going to let me leave," Akira said, turning to leave again, "I'll go before you change your mind."

"One last thing..."

Akira suddenly felt a cool hand drop onto her shoulder. She tensed up immediately. He'd only ever done this back when he was training her, and only when she'd accomplished something. As he spoke, she could feel his breath on her skin.

"You've made your sensei proud."

The girl's jaw clenched, and she used every ounce of her power to resist the temptation to argue with him. She wasn't his student anymore. She wasn't bound by his rules or his ideals. And yet, she found herself being relieve by the notion of him being proud of her. It made no sense. She took a step forward, causing Orochimaru's hand to fall by his side.

"Don't..." she whispered. "Don't drag be back like that. Don't do it because you never do it enough for me to stay, and it's terrifying. It's like I'm drowning in a lake and you're three feet away telling me to learn how to swim. In the end I don't drown or learn to swim, I'm just stuck in this torment, trying to fight the water and stay afloat." Akira turned back to look at Orochimaru. "I'm not your student anymore. Just let me go."

Orochimaru didn't say anything, he just stared, and it angered her that he didn't have any kind of emotion on his face. She didn't care if it was disgust, or anger, she just wanted to see something, anything that she could use to give herself a reason to hate this man like she wanted to. But he just stared. So Akira turned her heel and left, calmly walking down the labyrinth-like halls of this hideout.

Eventually, when Akira had come back to her senses, she broke into a run and made her way through the halls until she reached Sai's room. The door was open, so Akira clung to the wall and slid out a Katana and slowly approached the door. When she was close enough, her blade went inside the room first and then herself, ready to attack, but she ended lowering her weapon when she saw Yamato, Sakura and Naruto.

"Jeez, took you long enough," she sighed, putting her Katana away. "Now, come on. We gotta get out of here. Kabuto's coming."

Akira spotted the envelope on Sai's bed and grabbed it, stuffing it inside her pouch. She looked back up at her team, who all worse different expressions on their faces.

"What?"

"Why should we trust you?" Yamato said.

"Because I helped you get here? Unless you didn't see my markers or Sai's book," Akira stated. "Look, don't believe me if you want, but we have to get ourselves and this traitor out of here before Kabuto does."

"Did you see him? Did you see Sasuke?" Naruto asked, making Akira stop in the doorway on her way out.

"Grab Sai and let's go."

Yamato grabbed Sai and pushed him forward. Naruto, Akira and Sakura followed behind him, until they had reached their entry point in the side of the rock wall down one hall. They crawled out into the light, temporarily blinding them after all this darkness. Yamato restrained Sai and sat him down, then turned to Akira.

"Tell me why I shouldn't do the same to you."

"Because I left Sai's book behind to make you think he'd been taken under duress, because I left markers behind for you to follow at the risk of my own life!" Akira said loudly. "What the hell do you think Orochimaru would have done to me if he's found out?"

"You seemed like you had everything under control earlier."

"You were watching..."

"Yes, I was, and you had him perfectly pinned down, but you helped him back up and went off with him. Why?"

"He offered to take me to Sasuke."

Naruto and Sakura looked at her, eyes wide.

"Oh, he did, huh?" Yamato said sarcastically.

"Yeah, he did..." Akira said softly. "He offered to take me to Sasuke. I told him the reason I'd go with him was to see Sasuke, and only if he let me go after. And he did... returned the favour he owed me, I suppose."

"Did you see Sasuke?" Naruto asked again.

"Yes... but no..."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean!?"

"I saw him. I saw Sasuke. But he's not the same."

The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down Akira's face. She felt the muscles of her chin tremble like a small child and she looked away from her teammate, wishing that they'd never seen the strong Akira cry. But she couldn't hold it it. There was static in her head, the side effect of this constant fear, constant stress she lived with, simply brought to the edge with the appearance of Sasuke. She heard her own sounds, like a distressed child, raw from the inside. It took something out of her that she didn't know she had left to give. That's the way it was when people were hard. Seeing Sasuke so full of hatred, barely recognising Akira's presence, it was like the theft of a spirit, a mortal injury that no one could see.

"What she's trying to say is that you shouldn't bother trying to save him," Sai said, looking at Akira's tears.

"What the hell do you know!?" Naruto shouted.

"I met Sasuke, too. He always has Orochimaru with him. That's to say, you'll have to fight Orochimaru again. You'll be chopped up into pieces and turned into a test subject if you pursue too recklessly. And..."

"And?"

"And he doesn't care..." Akira said, voice cracking. She wiped away her tears and looked back to her team. "Sasuke doesn't care about us at all."

"For a guy like that..? Why?" Sai asked. "Why are you all trying to get him back, going so far as to oppose Orochimaru and put your lives in danger? Why is that? When no one is ordering you to do so?"

"I used to hate Sasuke. Hell, I used to hate Akira," Naruto said, mimicking Sai's fake smile. "Even though, like me, they didn't have a family, they were the elite and I was the bottom. But it was actually fun being with them. Akira and I learned to get along, but Sasuke never gave me the time of day. In the end, though, Sasuke was the one who acknowledged me the more than anyone else. Sasuke is my friend. It's a special bond I was finally able to make."

Akira smiled sadly. Naruto's speeches usually had the power to be uplifting to her, to raise her spirits. It didn't this time. It didn't help this time because she'd seen Sasuke herself, she'd seen the anger in his eyes, the power radiating off of him and heard the way he spoke without reservation, rage fueling his every word. They didn't know the real Sasuke, Akira didn't fully know it either, but if it was anything like what she'd become, then Sasuke was beyond saving unless he wanted to be saved.

All of sudden, Akira heard the metallic whooshing of kunai. She jumped backwards as dozens of kunai hit the spot she was just standing. She landed a few feet away, just as Kabuto landed in front of a restrained Sai. Akira glared at him, and he glared back.

"And here I thought we'd given our pursuers the slip," Kabuto said. "Lead them to us, Akira?"

"Quite successfully, I'd say," Akira replied.

"You're sure persistent," Sakura sighed, annoyed.

"Sai... Judging from your condition, I'd say you've been captured."

"Way to go, Captain Obvious," the Uchiha said sarcastically.

"You can stop with that wise-cracking, Akira. I know what you really are."

Akira's jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. What did Kabuto mean by that? Was he referring to her battle with Orochimaru or something else entirely?

"I won't let you interfere," Naruto growled at Kabuto. "If you do, I won't go easy on you!"

A series of attacks flew towards Kabuto one after the other. Naruto had two clones come at Kabuto from above with the Rasengan, but he just side-stepped the attack and kicked Naruto away. The boy stood back up immediately and sent four clones Kabuto's way, but the man fought them effortlessly. Akira narrowed his eyes at him. Their fighting styles were the same. He grabbed Sai and pulled him out of the way as Yamato made giant pieces of wood rise out of the ground to confine Kabuto, twisting and turning into the air. Kabuto dodged them all with ease, dragging Sai along with him. Sakura came at him next with a punch that decimated the rock formation he was standing on, but Kabuto dodged it just in time, returning to the ground with Sai.

"Huh, that was impressive," Kabuto contemplated. "You going to attack me next, Akira?"

"No, I'll let the bees distract you."

Kabuto frowned, but soon began furiously killing a swarm of bees that had followed him from the rock formation Sakura had destroyed. When he was done, he turned and glared at Akira.

"I don't need to attack you now. It's four against one, eventually we'll win."

Kabuto turned to Sai and set him free, believing that he was on his side. Though, to everyone's surprise, Sai grabbed Kabuto's arm and twisted it behind his back, then pushed his head down to the ground. Akira remembered that move. It was the one Kakashi used on Sasuke during their bell test. The girl couldn't help but chuckle. She knelt down beside him, looking down at him with a smile.

"I know what you are too, Kabuto," Akira whispered, venom lacing her words. "On the ground, right now, is the perfect place for an insignificant bug like you."

"Sai... What's the idea with all this!?" Kabuto said, turning his head away from Akira. Akira returned to Yamato, Sakura and Naruto. "Your mission was to become the liaison between Danzō and Lord Orochimaru!"

"People change," Sai said simply. "The same goes for me. But there are things that don't change." He looked to Naruto. "Bonds... I want to see for myself..."

Akira smiled. At least Naruto's speech earlier had gotten to someone.

"Sai, keep a hold on him. I'll restrain him."

Yamato moved forward and tightly wrapped Kabuto in thick branches, then created a clone to keep watch over him while they searched the base for Sasuke. Naruto looked to Sai, frowning.

"Sai... what the hell are you thinking?"

"Why are you so hung up on your bonds with Sasuke... and what are those bonds? I want to know," Sai explained. "I saw Akira's earlier."

Akira looked at him, eyebrows furrowed.

"You were trying to get a moment alone with him, weren't you? I thought I saw anger in your eyes, and it was confirmed earlier when you cried over him. I just wanted to find out why you all felt this way for him, and maybe that way, I can understand the bonds I seem to have to my brother."

All of a sudden, Kabuto laughed, which caused Akira to growl and punch him straight in the jaw, much to everyone's surprise. Akira had never punched anyone for the sake of punching, especially when they were restrained and couldn't fight back. Yamato moved to stop her, but she didn't punch him again.

"You guys don't know the real Sasuke... or the real Akira."

"Shut up, Kabuto," Akira spat. "Where's Sasuke? What room?"

"He should be done his training by now, in a room deep inside the hideout."

"It's true that Sasuke was going to train with Orochimaru," Sai confirmed. "He's probably not lying."

"All right! Then let's get to it th-"

"No," Akira said sternly. "We don't know what room he's in. I'm sure Kabuto doesn't know either. If I know Orochimaru well, which I do, deep inside the hideout doesn't mean one or two rooms. There's probably a whole other wing to this place Kabuto doesn't know about. If we go poking around... we'll be stirring up a serpent's nest." Akira's fist clenched. "Because that's probably where Orochimaru's private room is."

"Very good," Kabuto said, condescendingly.

"Do you want to get punched again? Because that's how you get punched!"

"Akira," Yamato warned.

Akira glared at him, but silenced herself. Yamato instructed his clone to keep a close watch on Kabuto, and then the team returned to their entry point, crawling into Orochimaru's hideout without a sound. Akira gave them the layout she followed to one of Orochimaru's offices, and then they split up. Naruto went with Sai, and Sakura went with Yamato. He tried to get Akira to follow with Sai and Naruto, but she insisted on working alone.

"Orochimaru will likely come to me first. If I can keep him distracted, you can find Sasuke."

"Akira, its not safe!" Sakura said, worried. "I know Captain Yamato told us you held your own against him, but what if he gets you this time."

"Then he'll get me. The important part is getting Sasuke. All right?"

Sakura nodded and split off with Yamato to the left. Akira glanced at Sai and Naruto before they split off to the right. Akira took a deep breath and dashed forward, back to the entrance that she came in through with Orochimaru. She had a feeling that the large snake there wasn't simply there for decoration, considering how plain the rest of the hideout was. Standing before it, she knew she was right. After a few hand seals, Akira managed to hold the snake's mouth open so that she could step inside.

"I did tell him that that thing was a little too ostentatious."

Akira saw the glare of the Sharingan in front of her. She mimicked them.

"Sasuke-"

"Don't," the boy interrupted her. "Don't even try to convince me."

"I'm not trying to convince you of anything, Sasuke. I'm here to tell you something," Akira said. "I used to think that you'd be ready to come home one day. That I'd be able to just waltz in here and have you look at me and say, "Akira, I'm ready to come home." But after spending three years in Sunagakure, fighting with Gaara and listening to what he had to say, I knew that you were never going to come home. That you'd never want to until you'd given into the hate that Gaara was saved from."

"So he's not a monster anymore, huh?"

"No. He's Kazekage, and his people love him more than anything. I was his Right Hand for two years and I've never seen someone with so much hatred in their heart make a comeback so wonderful." A single tear fell from Akira's eye. "Come home, Sasuke... Make a comeback that'll put him to shame. Because even though you've hurt me more than words can describe... I still want you home. Please brother... don't be like him. Let go of the hate. Don't turn into Itachi."

"Pathetic..." Sasuke sneered, turning his back to his sister. "Crying over me? You've gotten soft, Akira. I'd expect more from you."

"I SACRIFICED EVERYTHING FOR YOU!"

"That was your mistake, not mine."

Akira wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She took a deep breath, facial features solidifying like rock. Her fists clenched, but one of them drew a Katana, and the blade began to glow pure white, illuminating the darkened room the siblings were standing. Sasuke slowly turned to face his sister again, and the wrath that was held in her eyes. He could see it now, all the blood she'd shed and the death she was willing to create for him. She wore it like perfume. There was ice in her eyes, the lightning in her veins, the fire in her heart. There she was, the monster that Orochimaru had created and Kakashi had trained, ready to strip lungs of their breath, destroy pretty little things and burn them to the ground, to bring him home even if she had to bring the world to its knees.

"If you won't come home..." Akira growled, tone as sharp as she could possibly muster. "Then I'll have to drag you there!"


	115. Exploited Weakness

Her hands, scarred with murder, held onto the blades that had tasted the blood of hundreds of men as they glowed white. She watched as her brother turned towards her, eyes bright red in the light of her blade, and stared at her directly at her. He too pulled out a blade, a straight-edged Chokutō that lit up a bright blue colour and drowned the room in the sound of a thousand chirping birds. Simultaneously, Sasuke and Akira Uchiha clashed their swords. The build up of electricity grew brighter and brighter, until they were blinded and the power was released. An explosion started from the swords and went upwards, making the hideout's ceiling cave in and bring in the sunlight.

Akira remained where she stood, ignoring the large pieces of earth and stone fell around her. She kept her gaze steady, watching Sasuke put away his blade and ride the explosion upwards, then land on the edge of the crater they'd just created. Even as Sai came running to her side, Akira's eyes remained unwavering.

"You again," Sasuke said, annoyed.

And then Akira heard someone else. Sakura came running, worried to death about her. Sasuke glanced at her.

"Sakura, huh?"

The girl's eyes became wide, and she slowly tore her gaze from Akira. She stared up at the source of the voice, speechless. Akira heard someone else come running, and she wasn't surprised to see Naruto arrive out of the corner of her eye.

"And Naruto... So even you were here? Then is Kakashi with you?"

"Sorry, it's not Kakashi," Yamato said, coming out into the light. "I'm his substitute. Team Kakashi will now be taking you back to the Leaf."

"Team Kakashi, huh?" He looked at Sai. "So, you're my replacement..."

"The team has gotten even softer, then."

"I don't know you very well," Sai said. "But there must be some kind of reason that Akira, Sakura and Naruto have pursued you so desperately. They don't want to sever their bonds with you, and they're giving their all to secure them. I still don't understand all that clearly, but Sasuke... you should understand."

"Yeah, I did understand... That's why I severed the bonds."

Akira's hand gripped her Katana tighter, ready to pounce and slash at him.

"I have different bonds... bonds of hatred with my older brother. Having too many bonds in this world... will only lead you astray. It weakens one's ambition, distracts you from what truly matters."

"If that's the case, then why..? Why didn't you kill me back then!?" Naruto shouted.

"The reason's simple. It's not that I couldn't break the bond with you... It was just irritating to me. Obtaining power based on the method he told me."

Akira's eyes widened and her breathing became heavy. She remembered what Itachi had told them that day.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Akira can explain it to you later," Sasuke said, making the girl glare at him. "What I can say now is that back then, you only survived because of my passing whim."

Sasuke frowned a little, and before anyone knew it Akira was shoulder to shoulder with him, as she blocked his path to Naruto. He hand was itching to swing at him with the illuminated blade in her hand, but she didn't dare. Not when her comrades were so close. Sasuke glared at her, but Akira was unwavering.

"Come to think of it, wasn't it your dream to become Hokage, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, looking over to the blond. He turned to his sister. "And you, didn't you want to walk in our father's footsteps and become the Head of the Konoha Military Police? If you had the time to be chasing after me, you should have spent that time training or something... And so this time around, you'll lose your life... because of my passing whim."

Akira reacted quickly to the blade Sasuke was drawing. In an instant, Akira twisted herself around Naruto until she was behind him. She caught Sasuke's arm, preventing him from completing his swing, and pointed her own blade at Sasuke's stomach.

"No, he won't," the girl growled.

Akira then tossed Naruto aside as Sasuke awakened his Sharingan and lit up his own body with electricity. She didn't let go of him, instead, she did the same thing, and charged their bodies until there was another explosion and Akira and Sasuke jumped backwards to avoid it. Unfortunately, Sai and Sakura were knocked out by the blast. Yamato took the opportunity to attempt to stab Sasuke with his Wood-Style Jutsu, but Sasuke's blade, lit up with the Chidori, cut straight through it and dug itself into Yamato's shoulder.

Akira made the mistake of tearing her gaze away from Sasuke and looking to Yamato and Naruto. According to Sakura, Yamato, because he had the First Hokage's DNA, had managed to seal off the Nine-Tailed Fox's power so long as he wore that necklace. Akira glanced to Naruto's left. The necklace was on the ground. Suddenly, Akira began to feel the familiar Chakra that came with Kurama. She concentrated a ton of Chakra into her eyes and looked into Naruto's, immediately entering his soul once again.

"You again?" Kurama said angrily, upon seeing the Uchiha girl again.

"You'd stop seeing me if you stopped taking Naruto over!" Akira shouted.

She needed to make this quick. If she spent too much time here, she'd lose awareness of her outside body.

"Get out of here!"

Akira punched Kurama in the snout and he vanished into a puff of smoke just as before, and then Akira's surroundings faded into light and she was back to where she was. She barely had time to blink before her Sharingan was aware of something moving towards her. Sasuke had pulled his blade away from Yamato's shoulder and was swinging towards her. Akira barely twitched her head and a veil of water formed in front of her, stopping Sasuke's sword from hitting her. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Water-Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu!"

All of a sudden, the water Akira had used as a veil vanished back into its container, only to be replaced by water that was summoned out of thin air. The torrent extended water over a large scale, and rose up several dozens of meters high. Then it streamed down to the ground in one big cascade, much like a giant waterfall. It hit Sasuke directly in the chest and had so much power that it hollowed the ground where it hit. Sasuke was transported away several dozens of feet, but he was back before Akira in an instant, slashing down a Chidori charged blade.

The girl charged her own blade with Chakra and stopped it, but she was surprised by the amount of force Sasuke was putting down on the blade. Instead of pushing back, Akira let herself be pushed down and then held herself up with her free hand. She swung her legs out at him in an attempt to knock him off his feet, but Sasuke saw it coming and jumped out of the way and up atop the crater where he initially was.

Akira followed him up and their swords clashed, sparking as they hit and slid against each other. Akira and Sasuke swiped and slashed at each other, narrowly missing each other's attacks by any means necessary whether it be by simple dodges or flips. Their movements were swift and precise, equally matched except for the weakness Akira had. The second Sasuke realized what it was, he exploited it without hesitation.

Sai and Sakura were still out cold, lying limply on the ground, and Yamato was incapacitated, body still numb from the charged blade that stabbed his shoulder. Akira's eyes widened, her Sharingan catching a glimpse of something that couldn't be avoided. Sasuke violently tossed two kunai, one at Sai and one at Sakura. With a loud yell, Akira turned her back to Sasuke and pulled out her other Katana, reaching out to stop both of them at the same time before they pierced her comrades. Akira didn't need to have the Sharingan to know what was going to happen next. Sasuke had taken advantage of her bonds with her teammates, and moved towards her the second she'd left to save them.

There was no pain, but Akira felt the cool blade pierce her just beside the spine, and when she looked down she saw the end of Sasuke's blade coming out from her stomach. The dark red blood made its way out of her body and oozed between her fingers as she covered her wound with her shaky hands.

"Bro... ther..."

Akira's vision became blurrier as her red shirt turned darker and all she could see and taste and smell was the scarlet blood that once flowed through her veins. Each drop of blood slowly took the life in her, leaving her pale and weak, yet defying death. With her remaining forces, Akira tore herself away from Sasuke's blade, ripping up her insides even more, despite the cries coming from Naruto, and she thrust her blades at her brother's face. His eyes widened and he avoided them just in time, but the shockwave of her Chakra made him fly back twenty feet.

Sai and Sakura woke just in time to see Akira's blood-stained clothes fall with her body to the ground with an unceremonious thump. There was a gaping hole in her stomach that tore outwards, a part of her insides spilling out because of the way she'd torn herself from Sasuke's sword. Black filled the edges of her vision and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat, not even the sounds of everyone panicking above her. Akira's breath came in ragged shallow gasps until everything faded into inky nothingness and her consciousness was lost.


	116. Not Of This Lifetime

The air was frozen lace on the girl's skin, delicate and cold, like winter waves on sallow sand. The sky was washed with grey, watery light illuminating thin patched to brilliance. In some moments, she was watching her hands catch the snowflakes above her, and in others transfixed to interplay of cloud and sun. For some reason, her mind conjured a stone mosaic made beautiful by the shards of a mirror and she wanted to keep her eyes bound to the heavens while her imagination makes them one thing. Only the slipping of her brother's feet brought her attention earthward once more, the need to sit up and rise out of the snow pulling her mind into the present.

"Takara."

She turned her head towards the red eyes of her younger brother.

"You'll catch a cold if you keep lying the snow like that."

"You're such a mother, Tobirama," Takara said, rolling her eyes.

"Come. Our brother wants us to return home."

"All right. Help me up."

Tobirama extended a hand towards his sister and pulled her up when she grasped his hand, then they made their way back into town. Under a dove grey sky the colours of her world donned their winter attire, each hue darker and richer than in the summertime. The path sparkled and crunched like sugar underfoot. Though the flowers slept and the trees showed their lofty arms once more, a smiled played upon the girl's cold lips. Tobirama shrugged off his scarf and wrapped it around his sister, earning him a thankful smile.

Upon entering their home, Takara shivered loudly. Within seconds, the girl's other brother had rushed into the room, back of his hand stuck to her forehead, eyes looking panicked.

"Have you been lying in the snow again!?" Hashirama shouted. "You're going to get sick and be bedridden for days, and who's the one who will endure your whining!?"

"Not me," Tobirama said, taking off his coat and hanging it nearby.

"It'll be me, dear sister! Your Hokage will protect you!"

"Hashirama? You're insane," the Takara sighed. Then she leaned in, a devious smile on her face. "Is it ready?"

"Oh, yes it is."

"Is what ready?" Tobirama asked, looking at his siblings suspiciously. They giggled, his eyes widened. "No."

"Oh, come on, Tobirama... Don't be this way. We even got you a gift!"

"And Hashirama insisted on making your favourite meal."

"I will not celebrate another year of basic existence."

"You're so mean, Tobirama," Hashirama said, suddenly getting depressed.

Tobirama looked at his brother and sighed, eventually chuckling, which brightened Hashirama's mood immediately. He pushed his younger brother into the next room where the food and gift was laid out already.

"You were going to do this even if I said no, weren't you?" Tobirama sighed.

"Yep!" His siblings chimed.

Once again, the family tradition of forcing a birthday on Tobirama was underway, but it wasn't all bad. Even though Tobirama complained each year, it wasn't as if he truly refused. Then for hours on end they would do nothing but sit beside the fire, snacking on whatever food and tea Hashirama had prepared, and talking about their childhood or the inevitable Village-related drama with the Uchiha. Sometimes Hashirama would bring out a joke gift to Tobirama before the real one, which usually ended up being thrown and hitting the eldest in the head. But after a decade of doing this, Hashirama was getting better at dodging.

Akira...

Takara frowned and looked around.

Akira...

"Tobirama, Hashirama... do you hear that?"

"They're calling you, sister," Hashirama said with a gentle smile.

"What? Who's calling me?" Takara said, beginning to panic. "Tobirama?"

"It's time for you to go," Tobirama said gently.

"Go? Go where!? Brothers, what's happening!?"

"You don't belong here with us."

"You're not of this lifetime anymore."

Akira...

The panic was accelerating inside Takara's head. She wanted it to stop so she could breathe, but it wouldn't. And it only got worse as the ominous voice repeated and repeated her name. Her breaths came in gasps and she felt like she was about to black out. Her heart was hammering inside her chest like it belonged to a rabbit running for its skin. The room spinned all of a sudden, and a sharp pain appeared in her stomach. She looked to her brothers for help, but they only smiled and watched as she lurched forward, blood beginning to ooze out from her body. She felt inside my head. I want them to slow so I can breathe but they won't. My breaths come in gasps and I feel like I will black out. My heart is hammering inside my chest like it belongs to a rabbit running for its skin. The room spins and I squat on the floor, trying to make everything slow to something my brain and body can cope with. I feel so sick, everything was spinning so fast. Seconds later she was on the ground in the fetal position, and as everything faded to black she used the last of her energy to scream.

"HASHIRAMA!" she screamed. And just as she passed out, she reawakened someplace else, still screaming. "TOBIRAMA!

Akira woke up fast than a cat in ice-water, every sense urging her to claw her way to standing, but she couldn't even sit. Panicked Sharingan eyes stared down to her wrists. Her arms were cuffed to the bars on the bed, and she immediately struggled against them, fear blinding everything else going on around her. She heard someone yell and then footsteps rushing away. Akira thrashed about like there was a hurricane inside of her. She was moving like her brain demanded the energetic expenditure of an athlete but wouldn't tell her limbs what to do. An invisible hand clasped over her mouth and a surge of pain pierced Akira's stomach, unloading in an instant. She felt her ribs heaving as if bound by ropes, straining to inflate her lungs. Her head was a carousel of irrational fears spinning out of control, each one pushing her mind into more of a frenzy as she continued to strain against the cuffs. Until suddenly they came off.

The girl swung her arms out immediately, both fists colliding harshly with something before her. She kicked out her legs, hitting nothing in particular, only the bed on which she sat, pushing her further back from the things that surrounded her. There was a weight to her left and Akira moved away from it, punching and kicking as something tried to grab her. Was it the voice? Had something come for her? The heat from long fingers crept into Akira's consciousness and onto her skin. She screamed when hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her forwards. She thrashed about, but the hold was too strong. She couldn't get away.

All of a sudden, Akira stopped moving. She realised that the hold, while strong, wasn't harmful. It soothing, almost as if the person was swaddling a newborn. Akira's breathing began to relax, and she let her body sag. The arms that held her squeezed tighter, and one of them moved to the back of her head, gently pulling the girl towards their chest. Although she was still panicked, mind still jumping from thought to thought at rapid speed, Akira knew that this would help, so she hesitantly rose her arms around the person who was holding her so gently.

Soon, Akira's mind calmed down and her thoughts organised themselves and came out of the frenzy they were in. She took a deep breath and immediately her Sharingan disappeared, everything in her surroundings returning to their normal appearance. She finally figured out where she was. She was back in Konoha, in the hospital. For a moment, Akira wondered why, but one thing that hadn't left with her panic was the intense pain in her stomach and side. Then it all came back to her; fighting Orochimaru, seeing Sasuke once again, her comrades out cold, a blade through her insides. And this person here, holding her so preciously against his chest was Kakashi, barely able to move himself, with not another soul in the room to witness the tenderness he was displaying.

A muffled sob reached Akira's mouth. She wasn't even thinking about her dream, or her vision, or whatever she'd seen was called. Her mind was solely focused on Sasuke. In her life, Akira had been the sunshine in his, giving him warmth and light, and love without reserve. And she knew that Sasuke had changed for the worst, but for anyone in pain she would always run towards them, no matter what. But in the end he left her bleeding, both emotionally and physically. Akira had thought he'd changed for the worst, but she never expected all traces of her brother to be erased. She didn't know who that was anymore. He was her brother once, now nothing more than a sliver of hatred and violence. She used to trust him with her life, and now he'd tried to take it away. She'd cared for him, but he left her to die on the ground so insignificantly.

"He's gone..." Akira whispered, gripping Kakashi tighter. "He's gone, Kakashi."

"You'll bring him home someday," Kakashi said softly, putting his chin on top of Akira's head. "I promise. You'll make him see reason, or you'll punch him hard enough for him to snap out of it."

Akira managed a small smile.

"What happened... What happened after I went down?"

"Yamato said that Naruto and Sakura lost it," Kakashi said. "Naruto and Sai attempted to attack Sasuke again while Sakura frantically tried to stop the bleeding, but they didn't do any damage."

"What did Sasuke do to them!?" Akira said frantically, pulling herself away from Kakashi. Her eyes had gone wide and fearful again. "Are they all right!?"

"They're fine," Kakashi said, gently putting his hand on Akira's head. "Yamato said you have Orochimaru to thank for that."

"Orochimaru?"

"It seemed as though Sasuke was about to perform his ultimate Jutsu on you guys and finish you off. Orochimaru stopped him. He said he wants us to get rid of Akatsuki for him, but Yamato said he looked mildly concerned."

Akira frowned. Orochimaru, concerned? That didn't seem likely. Yamato probably hadn't interpreted his expression properly, considering that he was most likely still under the paralzing effects of the Chidori.

"You need some rest," Kakashi said.

He smiled gently and stood, his hand slowly leaving Akira's head. Without thought, Akira caught Kakashi's hand as he was leaving. He turned back to her, concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know..." Akira sighed, staring at her hand holding his. "I just... Can you stay?"

The question would have caught Kakashi off-guard if he wasn't looking into her eyes. The sadness and desperation in them made it obvious. He gently removed his hand from hers and sat down beside her again. Kakashi ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her close again.

"I'm not going anywhere."


	117. Chakra Natures

"Kiba, I'm fine! Lady Tsunade herself cleared Kakashi and I to leave today!"

"Are you sure? You look shaky. Have you eaten properly? You're sort of pal-"

"I've always been pale, damn it!"

After a few weeks of boredom in the hospital, forced to stare at blank walls and mediocre food, Akira and Kakashi were finally cleared to leave the Konoha Hospital with a clean bill of health, and a fresh new scar in Akira's case. She didn't know where he'd come from, but Kiba had popped out of nowhere and furiously began examining every inch of her. With all the commotion, Shikamaru found his way over with Choji and Ino, then Sakura, Sai and Naruto came along.

"Guys," Akira chuckled. "Guys, I'm fine! You all saw me yesterday."

"Yeah, but you didn't say you were leaving today!" Shikamaru said.

"We need to celebrate your recovery!" Sakura cheered.

"Do we, really?" Ino said, annoyed.

"Shut up, Ino Pig!"

"Sorry, guys!" Naruto chimed in. "Kakashi-sensei, Akira and I have some training planned."

"Wait, what!?" Akira said, surprised.

Naruto suddenly grabbed Akira hand and pulled her off in a certain direction, which later ended up being a rather large clearing in the forest just outside the village. It was a glorious expanse of grass and meadow flowers, grass rustling gently in the breeze. There was a narrow brook flowing through it choked with weeds. Tall water-mint with pale lilac flowers, like dozens of tiny bells were growing at the edge of the brook.

Akira had no idea what she was doing there, for as far as she was concerned, Akira had no plans of any kind. So as Naruto and Kakashi faced each other, Akira sat down on the grass off to the side, watching them with a little interest. She wondered what kind of training Kakashi was giving Naruto, considering that it was just him being trained.

"It's been a long time since I've trained with you," Naruto chuckled, looking at Kakashi. "I don't realy know why, but I'm glad."

"Laugh it up while you can," Kakashi said. "Time won't wait for us, so... As I told you before, the purpose of this training is to create a Ninjutsu of ultimate power just for you. A Jutsu that will exceed the Rasengan."

Akira rose an eyebrow. This was getting interesting.

"Two techniques, Change in Chakra Nature and Change in Chakra Form, are essential for that."

"Chakra form and Chakra nature?" Naruto repeated, confused.

"Okay, okay. So you can't understand two things at once," Kakashi said. "Then let's start with Change in Chakra Form."

"Right!"

"Try making a Rasengan."

Naruto summoned a clone and within seconds, the original was holding a blue ball of rotating Chakra.

"You've already mastered the Change in Chakra Form," Kakashi said. "Your Rasengan has done that."

"Huh?"

"Spinning Chakra like that as a super high speed and then compressing it," Akira said, pulling out bits of grass from the ground. She looked at Naruto. "That in itself is a change in Chakra form. Probably an extreme case, too."

"Then that means I've passed the Change in Chakra Form test?" Naruto asked, looking pleased.

"Yeah, that's about right," Kakashi said.

"Hell yeah!" Naruto shouted, tossing his Rasengan into the air.

"Next is the Change in Chakra Nature. Let's see, take Chidori for example."

Kakashi performed a few hand seals then held his hand in position for the Chidori.

"This is a Jutsu activated by simultaneously creating both the Change in Chakra Nature and the Change in Chakra Form. First, the form. I concentrate Chakra in my hand..."

All of a sudden, bright blue Chakra formed in Kakashi's hand like a flame. Both Naruto's and Akira's eyes widened in fascination.

"Then I shift the nature of this Chakra into an electrical current."

Then the Chakra in Kakashi's hand began to spark, successfully converting into Lightning-based Chakra.

"Wait, can I even do that?" Akira muttered to herself.

"Of course you can. That's how you're able to turn the Chakra on your Katana into lightning," Kakashi said.

"Right, that makes sense."

"And now I can shift the form so it discharges electricity, then I determine the range and strength of the attack." Kakashi turned the spark into a full-fledged Chidori, the sound of chirping birds filling the air, before dispelling it and continuing his explanations. "In order to learn a Jutsu above the Rasengan, this combination of Chakra Nature and Form is absolutely necessary."

"Then I'll be able to create a new Jutsu in a flash if I add that Chakra Nature stuff to my Rasengan!"

"That's easier said than done, Naruto," Akira sighed. "First of all, you still haven't learned the Change in Chakra Nature. Do you even know what Nature Type you have in the first place?"

"Huh? What Chakra Nature?"

Kakashi and Akira hung their heads and sighed simultaneously. Akira expected him to know this by now. It was Academy knowledge, after all.

"Well, I figured I'd have to start from the very beginning."

"Basically, there are five types of Chakra Nature: Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning and Earth," Akira explained. "These are the foundations of all Ninjutsu. Everyone generally has Chakra that falls underneath these five Natures. For example, my Clan is known for having an affinity to Fire, which means Fire-style Jutsu are our strength. Unless you're me and you've got little to no affinity for it," Akira added, a little embarrassed. "Kakashi's Chidori is of the Lightning-style."

"Which means Sasuke has the Fire-style and Lightning-style, huh?" Naruto said.

"Yeah, though he's naturally better at the Fire-style."

"And you currently don't have any," Kakashi added, sending Naruto a pointed look. "Moreover, we don't know what type of Chakra Nature you're good at."

Kakashi pulled out a small bundle of little square pieces of paper. He held one of them between two fingers.

"I'll find that out with this strip of paper."

"How're you gonna do that?"

All of a sudden, the paper in Kakashi's hand crinkled. Naruto stared at it wide-eyed.

"The paper gets wrinkled if its a Lightning Nature," Kakashi explained. "It'll get cut if its Wind. It'll burn if its Fire. It'll get soaked if its Water. It'll crumble away if its Earth. This is Litmus paper that easily reacts to Chakra. If you flow your Chakra into this paper, you'll find out what Nature you have."

Naruto nodded and took a Litmus paper from Kakashi and closed his eyes, silently concentrating his Chakra into the paper between his fingers. Moments later, the paper split in two.

"Your Chakra nature is Wind," Kakashi stated. "It tears and cuts through all sorts of things. It's Chakra with outstanding battle strength."

"Oh, I'm awesome!" Naruto shouted. "Akira, what's your Nature Type!?"

"Lightni-"

"Use the paper, use the paper!"

"Okay, okay, calm down."

Akira sighed and grabbed a little piece of paper from Kakashi. She held it between her fingers and moments later, the paper turned into a mixture of crinkled and wet in different spots. Naruto eyes were almost as big as his head. Kakashi didn't seem too surprised, only interested. Yamato must have told him what had gone down between her and Orochimaru.

"I have two Chakra Natures. Lightning and Water."

"Two!?"

"Jōnin-level ninja generally have two or more," Kakashi said, which made Naruto mumble something about him being a Genin. "I've also got other Natures besides Lightning that I can use."

"Then, does Akira have two Nature Types or three? Is the combo another one?"

"No, that's not how it works."

"If I didn't have the Sharingan, I could probably only be able to use Lightning and Water," Akira said, finally standing. "There's no fundamental Nature Type that combines Water and Lightning."

"Then... how do you do it?" Naruto asked.

"She does it simultaneously," Kakashi answered. "She does the Change in Chakra Nature for Lightning and Water at the same time, and generates the new Storm Nature."

"Water with my left hand. Lightning with my right hand," Akira said, concentrating the respective Chakra in each hand.

She put her hands together and then pointed them outwards. All of a sudden, a laser-like beam came out of each fingertip, and Akira found herself able to control them like she could control the water in her gourd. The energy listened to her movements until she dismissed it.

"That's awesome..." Naruto said softly.

"It's easy to use them independently, but putting them together took quite a while to get the hang of. It kind of came out of nowhere to be honest," Akira said with a chuckle.

"The power to generate a new Chakra Nature by using two Change in Chakra Natures simultaneously is called the kekkei genkai," Kakashi explained. "You've at least heard of the expression, right, Naruto?"

"Yeah."

"That boy we once fought, Haku, he used it. He was able to use the kekkei genkai known as the Ice-style, which combined Water and Wind Natures at the same time. So, even I who has the Sharingan, couldn't copy it. I couldn't cope Akira's Storm-style either."

"No, kidding..." Naruto mumbled. "Hey, but what about Shikamaru's Shadow Possession Jutsu? Or Choji's expansion Jutsu? And what about Medical Jutsu, or Genjutsu?"

"An explanation of that stuff would take a while," Kakashi said lazily. "And you'd get confused if I explained it all at once."

"Yeah, I think the Yin and Yang is for another time," Akira chuckled, staring at Kakashi's expression of abandon.

"Yin... and Yang? What's that?"

"I agree. You wouldn't understand even if I told you now."

Naruto sighed, but didn't complain.

"Now, where were we?"

"You said something about cheating training time a couple days ago," Naruto said.

"Reduce time," Kakashi sighed.

"Yeah, that! How do we do that?"

"Multiple Shadow Clones."

"What about them?"

"It's how we reduce the training period."

"I don't get it," Naruto complained.

"I have to admit that I'm a little lost too," Akira said, frowning a little. "Are you suggesting that by training with Multiple Shadow Clones, the clones gain the same experience Naruto would? So that, when Naruto dismisses them and returns the Chakra to his body, let's say he had five clones... he'd have trained for five times the amount?"

"I don't see how you're lost," Kakashi chuckled. "That's exactly it."

"Oh."

"That's awesome! So we can do it that way!" Naruto cheered.

"You'll conduct the Change in Chakra Nature training, you're going to learn now, using the Multiple Shadow Clones at all times."

"Right! Now, I know why you're so strong Kakashi-sensei. So this is how you did your training, huh?"

Akira contemplated it. Kakashi didn't seem like the kind of person to train in this back-handed manner, but it would explain the fact that he was very strong.

"No, I've never once trained using this approach."

"Why not?" Akira asked.

She was genuinely curious.

"I don't have as much Chakra as either of you," Kakashi said. "And I can't sustain my Shadow Clones as long, either. And the only types of Jutsu suitable for me, since I don't have much Chakra, are the ones requiring an even distribution of Chakra."

"Say, do I really have that much Chakra!?" Naruto said happily.

"Yes. I'd say four times as much as I have, and double what Akira has."

"Hm, impressive," Akira hummed.

"That's why this training style is only suitable for you, Naruto, and Akira, since you'll be joining us as well."

"I will? I thought I was just here as moral support or an audience of some kind."

"Since this sort of training requires a lot of Chakra, there's a possibility that Naruto might rouse the Nine-Tails' Chakra," Kakashi said. "Yamato told me about what you did. He can do it himself, but your method, whatever it was, proved to be faster and more effective than his."

"You want me to dispel the Nine-Tails' Chakra if it ever surfaces?"

Kakashi nodded. Akira didn't have to think about it much before answering.

"Well, I almost got killed last time," she sighed. "But I'll do it. You ready, Naruto?"

"Bring it on!"

"All right. First, you must train to strengthen your Chakra Nature. Sandwich a leaf between your palms and try to cut it with just Chakra. Keep it there until you cut it."

"Ugh, this reminds me of Temari's training," Akira groaned. "I spent days doing this."

"Well, this is going to take me only a few hours, believe it!" Naruto shouted.

All of a sudden, hundreds if not thousands of copies of Naruto appeared in a puff of smoke. They all grabbed a leaf and began concentrating. Akira smirked. She took a leaf of her own and placed it between her palms. When she opened them again, the leaf was split in half. All of the Narutos suddenly began to grunt and yell louder, putting more and more effort into it. Akira stared at them all and smiled.

"He'll be done by nightfall."


	118. No One is Irredeemable

Before Naruto could get any more training done, Sakura and Sai interrupted them with a message from Lady Tsunade. Team Kakashi was to be partially and temporarily disbanded again, for the duration of a mission. Sai, Sakura, Naruto and Yamato were to go on a mission together, while Kakashi and Akira were summoned to Lady Tsunade's office. It seemed, to Akira, that the duo were getting a mission of their own. And by looking at Tsunade's face, it would be an important one.

"How is Naruto's training going?" she asked.

"He's learning at a phenomenal speed," Kakashi said. "But he still has a long way to go before developing a new Jutsu."

"I'm sorry about the timing of this, but I need both of you to meet up with Jiraiya and look into developments concerning the Akatsuki." Tsunade sighed. "I'd like to give Naruto some more time to focus on his training, but..."

Akira didn't really hear the next few sentences that Tsunade and Kakashi were saying. The second she'd heard the word Akatsuki, the image of that giant statue came back to mind and dazed her. Memories of her recent and odd dreams resurfaced, and it took a while before she snapped out of it. Tsunade looked at her, eyebrows twitching into a frown.

"Are you all right, Akira?" she asked.

"I'm fine," the girl said immediately. "If that's all you have to tell us Lady Tsunade, I'd like to depart as quickly as possible."

"Of course. You're dismissed."

The girl bowed curtly and turned to Kakashi.

"I'll be at the main gate in five minutes."

With that, she put up a single hand and vanished into thin air, reappearing within the limits of her compound. Akira heaved a sigh and calmly walked through her garden, momentarily glancing at the koi, before walking up the few steps to her home.

"I can't be spacing out like that," she quietly chided herself.

With the recent events that happened, mostly the ones involving seeing Sasuke again, Akira had completely forgotten about her vision in the cave while she was out to save Gaara. All that war and destruction, the death and the sadness... Why did she it it upon making eye contact with the giant statue the Akatsuki had summoned? And better yet, who was the little girl in her vision? Akira deemed it important as she packed shuriken and kunai into her pouch. Upon returning from the meeting with Sasuke, there was something else. That entire scene with the three Senju siblings... Were they even siblings? Akira had never heard of a third Senju.

"You sure you're all right?"

Akira glanced towards the door to her room and then back at her semi-packed things.

"I said I'd meet you at the gate, Kakashi."

"I know you better than Lady Tsunade, Akira," Kakashi sighed, leaning in the doorway. "I know you don't space out."

"It's nothing you need to worry about."

"You spaced out the second Tsunade said Akatsuki. Does this have something to do with what happened in the Hidden Sand Village? You were supposed to tell me about it, but never did."

"Yeah... I purposely forgot about that," Akira sighed, stuffing the last of her equipment into her bag. She dropped her bag onto her shoulders. "We should go."

"Not until you tell me."

"I'm not telling you now. Look, I'll tell you after we meet up with Master Jiraiya, all right?"

"Promise?"

"Promise? What are you, four?" Akira laughed. Kakashi's face didn't change. "Okay, okay. I promise, you overgrown child."

Kakashi smiled and turned around, walking away. Akira shook her head and chuckled, then followed after him. A few people stopped them on their way out of the village, namely Kiba (and Hinata who was with him), who still thought that Akira was in no shape to return to missions. She waved it off nonchalantly, despite partially agreeing with Kiba, and continued on with Kakashi after telling Hinata to keep a close eye on him. She agreed with a smile that frustrated Kiba.

"So, where is that old perverted hermit, anyway?" Akira asked as she and Kakashi exited the Village. "Did Tsunade mention it while I was spaced out?"

"She did. Take a guess."

"Hm, let's see. Hot springs and pretty women? Land of Hot Water."

"Bingo."

Akira rolled her eyes and smiled. Typical.

It took a few days to reach the Land of Hot Water. A few days because Akira and Kakashi weren't in much of a hurry. Tsunade had sent word to Jiraiya to stay put and wait for the two to make contact with him, so it wasn't like they were pursuing anyone. Therefore Kakashi and Akira made their way to the Land of Hot Water at a reasonable pace, stopping a few times to take a break. Eventually, the torii leading into their Hidden Village, Yugakure, briefly came into sight before the hot steam from the surrounding springs covered it up. It was a peaceful village, filled to the brim with tourist who came far and wide for the famous hot springs, as well as a few Shinobi who guarded the streets with a friendly demeanor.

It didn't take long to find Jiraiya - you could hear his laugh the second you walked into the village. Soon enough, Kakashi and Akira found him sitting in a pub surrounded by women. His face was flushed, whether from the company or the sake, Akira couldn't tell. The two friends stood in the doorway for a few minutes, observing the poor display of behaviour until Jiraiya finally spotted them and waved them over. Akira sent the woman a glare and they dispersed immediately, much to the Sannin's displeasure.

"This is serious business, Master Jiraiya. Call me paranoid, but one of your bimbos could be a spy," Akira said with a sigh. "I don't want to take any chances. Besides, do you really need to drool over women like a dog?"

"A dog!?" Jiraiya gasped.

"You're over fifty. It's unsightly."

"Did you just call me a gross old dog!?"

"Yes."

The man screeched.

"Now, now, Akira. Be nice. He's a Sannin," Kakashi sighed.

"So's Tsunade. She's also Hokage, but it doesn't stop me from yelling at her," Akira said sharply. "Also, we can't forget that my former Master is Orochimaru, and I have little to no respect for him anymore. So... Can we get to the point we're here, now?"

At the mention of Orochimaru, Jiraiya sobered up instantly. He held Akira's stern gaze, which sort of made Kakashi nervous.

"You remind me of him."

"That's insulting."

"Not the evil part," Jiraiya said. "The irritating know-it-all part."

"How's that better!?" Akira shouted, standing and slamming her hands on the table.

"Guys, guys, calm down!" Kakashi said, pushing Akira back down into her seat. "Let's just exchange information and be on our way, all right?" He looked to Jiraiya. "What've you got to tell us?"

"Tsunade is mostly worried about the attacks happening around the Land of Fire," Akira said, glaring at the approaching waitress who back away instantly.

"She should be," Jiraiya stated. "All the attacks in the Land of Sound, Hot Water, Frost and most recently, Lightning, were made by the same two individuals. Reports state that they're Akatsuki, and more brutal than the previous ones we've encountered. They've wiped out small villages just to find one person."

"Did they find another Jinchuuriki?"

"In the Land of Lightning, yes. Yugito Nii of Kumogakure. She was the host of the Two-Tails. They found her dead a few days ago."

"The way their travelling doesn't suggest a clear destination, does it?" Kakashi said. "It seems they're just going to each land and sniffing out anyone who's interesting."

"In other words, they don't know where all the Jinchuuriki are. That could be a good thing," Akira said. "But that would mean the next stop on their list is us - the Land of Fire. Unless they backtrack to Takigakure."

"Doubt it. One of my sources said that one of the two sported a Takigakure headband with the insignia crossed out," Jiraiya said.

Akira cursed quietly.

"The other bears the insignia for this land."

"Guess someone didn't approve of Yugakure's pacifism plans," Kakashi commented.

"Do we have any idea who they are?" Akira asked. "If they're missing-nin, someone's got to have them in their Bingo Book."

"I didn't go sticking my neck out that much, kid. I like myself very much alive, thanks."

"I suppose you don't know what their abilities are either, then."

"No. But I can tell you one thing... slaughter is their middle name."

"Hm. Is that supposed to scare me?" Akira asked, an eyebrow raised.

"You'd be a fool if you weren't scared," Jiraiya said.

"No, I'd be a fool to underestimate them. Doesn't mean I have to be scared of them, Jiraiya."

"Right," Kakashi said, interrupting the glaring contest. "Is there anything else worth mentioning?"

"No, that's all I could find so far. If anything else comes up, I'll head back to Konoha and deliver the message myself."

"Then we'll find a place to rest and head off in the morning."

Kakashi and Akira stood, which meant the women that were with Jiraiya earlier came flocking back to him. Kakashi chuckled awkwardly as Akira glared again, then walked off. Akira went to turn away as well, but Jiraiya called out to her again, dismissing the women for another few minutes. The Uchiha stepped towards the table again.

"You do remind me of him, you know."

"We already went through this."

"Forget what I said earlier, no matter how true is may be," Jiraiya said with a chuckle. Akira rolled her eyes. "But it's not just those aspects of you that remind me of him."

Akira eyebrows furrowed slightly, giving away her interest.

"You respect him, don't you?"

The girl didn't answer.

"I can see it in the way you trained these past three years," Jiraiya said. "You didn't completely abandon what Orochimaru did to you. While you do hate it, you recognise that it's powerful and tweaked it so that it worked for you."

"Your point?"

"My point is that that is exactly what Orochimaru does. He takes pre-existing Jutsu and makes them better, or turns it into something he can use."

"How does that make me remind you of him?" Akira asked, slowly getting impatient.

"You're both prodigies of your generation. Complete geniuses, though a little unstable," Jiraiya said, then held up a hand to silence the girl as she was about to protest. "You know I'm right. You haven't been completely right in the head since that Mark got on your shoulder, have you? A little angrier, a little more impatient, less sympathetic."

"Yeah..." Akira agreed reluctantly, looking to her feet.

"But your empathy... through the roof, right?"

Akira looked up, frowning.

"Though you don't care for other people's feelings much, people have blind faith in you. Even if you've given them no reason to. And you might think others are weak or too emotional, or even yourself at times, but you can understand them, rationalise it, and when you talk to them, you chose your words accordingly to ease in or out of a situation."

"You're saying I'm manipulative."

"I'm saying you're charismatic, charming and oddly captivating."

The Uchiha's eyes widened a bit, and Jiraiya smirked.

"But that's..."

"The way you think of him, huh?"

"Well, I wouldn't say captivating or anything..." Akira muttered, a little embarrassed.

"Anyway, that's what I meant to say," Jiraiya said, waving the women back over. "You're an annoying know-it-all like he was, but... you remind me of the better parts of him."

"Um... Thanks, I think?"

"Hey, Akira? You coming?" Kakashi said, poking his head back inside the building.

"Y-Yeah, I'm coming!"

Akira walked away from the Sannin, but sighed when he called out to her again.

"Man, you like to hear yourself talk," she sighed.

"Can you do me a favour?"

"Depends on the favour."

"I've long since abandoned the task," Jiraiya sighed, downing a cup of sake. "I'm an old man now, and this is a desire of my youth, but... if you've got the chance, can you do what I didn't?"

"And what is that - peep on a set number of women for you?"

"No... can you convince him to come back?"

A faint look of surprise crossed Akira's features.

"Bring who back?" she asked, though the answer was already clear to her.

"Orochimaru."

"Out of all the people..."

This was Sasuke and Naruto all over again - Orochimaru defecting from the village and Jiraiya hoping to bring him back home safely. However, that's where the similarities ended. Naruto was still pursuing Sasuke even after three years, and Jiraiya had stopped a long time ago.

Akira cursed under her breath. Was she seriously thinking about this? There was no way Orochimaru would ever let himself be swayed by someone, let alone a little girl he'd trained what seemed like a lifetime ago. Would there even be an opportunity to bring him back? Akira didn't think there would be. Besides, she already had Sasuke to bring back - could she really afford another? Did she even want to have him back in the village - the man who'd contaminated her soul and stolen her only family?

Akira's fists clenched and she stared sharply at Jiraiya.

"You're asking a lot of me, you know. After everything he did to me, my brother, my teammates..."

"I know," Jiraiya said with a chuckle, lowering his gaze. "You don't have to. It's just a kid dream."

"Well..." Akira said contemplatively.

The Sannin looked back up at her. She was smirking, in a way that Jiraiya found attractive and concerning at the same time.

"No one is irredeemable."


	119. Visions and a Vision

"Couldn't you have booked two rooms?"

"This was cheaper. Besides, it'll lower the chance of us getting attacked when we're alone."

"I don't want to hear you snore."

"Hey, you're the one who snores."

The sounds of casual bickering were the only sounds in the small inn that night. Kakashi had booked a room for two people for convenience and expenses, but Akira didn't know how she felt about sharing a room with someone else, let alone her former sensei. She had the bad habit of staying up odd hours and only getting to sleep late into the night, training or maintaining her weapons until then. When Akira actually did get to sleep, most of her nights were plagued with nightmares which was something Akira didn't want Kakashi to witness. He'd already been there for the fit she'd had after waking up from the temporary coma Sasuke had put her in - she didn't want a repeat.

"Shut up, I don't snore that much. Its a light girly snore," Akira argued.

"You still snore."

"Whatever. Don't come crying to me if you don't sleep at all."

"Why wouldn't I get any sleep?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, because... nevermind."

Akira began to unpack a few things on her bed while Kakashi did the same on his. They were silent for a while, but then Kakashi brought up the Sunagakure incident. Akira was expecting it of course, but she was hoping that he'd had forgotten about it.

"You promised," Kakashi said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Akira sighed. She sat down on the edge of her bed and stared at Kakashi. "So, what do you want to know?"

"You said you were worried about yourself... why?"

"Jiraiya said so earlier. I just... I don't think I'm all there. Mentally, speaking."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember, before I left, I seemed a little on edge? After my mission to the Land of Sea I was very much on edge. I was seeing Orochimaru everywhere, and sometimes I felt like I was hearing things." Akira sighed. "That's part of the reason I went to Suna. It was a clean slate - I had no memories of Orochimaru there and I hoped that it would cleanse my mind like Tsunade wanted."

"Did it?"

"I suppose. I still had nightmares in the beginning, but after a while they disappeared. I stopped seeing and hearing things too, so that was good. I don't know if Yamato told you how I acted during our last mission, but one thing I couldn't shake was my anger towards him. It just grew."

"Yeah, he told me," Kakashi said, sitting opposite to Akira. "Sakura even expressed concern."

"She did?"

"She said the looks are your faces, you and Orochimaru, were nearly identical. She was scared you'd go berserk like Naruto."

"I almost did. Anyway, long story short I managed to eliminate Orochimaru from my nightmares and I quit seeing him during the day," Akira summed up. "But then, in the cave when I went after Gaara, I began seeing other things, and the... visions, I suppose, have been more frequent ever since."

"What happened in that cave?" Kakashi asked, sounding fairly concerned.

"I don't really remember well... I remember this huge statue being summoned and all of the Akatsuki joining Deidara and Sasori, but they weren't really there, just... images, holograms, I'm not sure. And then they began the extraction of Shukaku... I remember looking up at the statue and then all of a sudden it was like I was somewhere else. There was a little girl surrounded by war, destruction and blood... I woke up two days later, still in the cave, just before the extraction was complete. I popped a food pill and got Gaara out of there.

"The second I got to the hospital, Temari said that I started shouting and holding my head, and then the same dream or vision happened while I was passed out." Akira ran her hands over her face, pulling her bandanna off her head at the same time. "The same thing happened again when Sasuke nearly cut me in half.

"Some time before, I'd suppressed the power of the Nine-Tails inside Naruto. When I do that, I enter Naruto's consciousness and directly come into contact with Kurama. He recognised the Sharingan immediately, mentioned an ancestor of mine, Madara Uchiha, and then someone I didn't recognise. Someone called Takara. He said that I reminded him of her.

"While I was in Orochimaru's hideout, he gave me something," Akira said, then went to fetch a scroll and book from her bag. She handed them to Kakashi. "The scroll is information on the Storm-style kekkei genkai and the book is... I don't know. History, I suppose. It talks of the creation of Konoha and the important figures in its history. That girl that the Nine-Tails had mentioned... she was there." Kakashi looked up at Akira from the book he was leafing through. "She's Takara Senju. But I've never heard of the First and Second Hokage having a sister! And then, after Sasuke nearly sliced me in half, that fit I had, I was her. In my dream, I was her. I woke up shouting the Hokage's names because it was like I was being torn away from my brothers."

"That's... unsettling," Kakashi said, eyes wide.

"I don't particularly know what to do about it," Akira said with a sigh. "It's not like it's causing me harm or anything, it's just odd and really annoying. And the fact that I'm hallucinating about people that actually existed? I feel like there's more to it."

"First of all, I'd ask Lady Tsunade whether she had a great aunt called Takara, or a great aunt at all. After that you can start worrying about seeing her, or being her, in dreams."

"Apparently, she's also the sole owner of the Storm-style kekkei genkai, in Konoha."

"Which would explain these," Kakashi said, holding up the book and scroll Orochimaru had given her.

"But it doesn't explain why I have her kekkei genkai."

"No... it doesn't."

Kakashi and Akira sighed simultaneously, staring at each other. Silence ensued, neither of them quite sure how to deal with the information that had just come out of Akira's mouth. Kakashi was right though; a trip to Lady Tsunade would most likely prove beneficial. The man leaned forward and dropped a hand on Akira's head. A bit of tension was released from Akira's shoulders.

"You'll figure it out, Akira. Everything is going to be fine."

* * *

Upon returning to the Village, Yamato substituted for Akira as she both handed in hers and Kakahsi's report as well as sought out information from Tsunade, outside the context of duty. When she'd handed in her report, Tsunade wondered why the girl was still standing there, gazing sternly at her. It looked like she was debating something, asking herself whether she should speak or stay silent and walk out of the office as if nothing happened. Wasn't she supposed to be training with Naruto? He'd progressed tenfold since he'd returned from his mission a few days ago, and Kakashi was there with him and Yamato... So why was she still here? In the end, Akira surprised Lady Tsunade with a deep bow.

"Forgive me, Lady Tsunade," Akira spoke, eyes still fixed to the floor. "I do not want to take up too much of your time, but I have a few... personal questions I'd like to ask you."

"What kind of personal questions?" Tsunade said, sounding a little irritated.

"About your family line, the Senju."

Tsunade didn't say anything for a bit. Eventually she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her desk, giving Akira her undivided attention.

"Go on."

"Your grandfather was Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage."

"Yes, that's right."

"And your granduncle was Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage."

"You're stating more than asking, Akira," Tsunade commented.

"Did they have a sister?"

Tsunade's look of surprised contrasted the stern look on Akira's face. It was an odd question, with seemingly no reasoning behind it, but Akira didn't look like she was joking at all. Tsunade hadn't seen her this serious in a long time.

"What kind of question is that?"

"Was her name Takara?" Akira insisted.

"I had a grandaunt called Takara, yes," Tsunade replied, frowning. "She was Tobirama's older sister."

"Was the Wood-style the only kekkei genkai your family possessed?"

"To my knowledge, yes."

Akira dropped the book Orochimaru gave her on Tsunade's desk. The Hokage glared at it, then the Uchiha standing before her.

"Where'd you get this?"

"Page twenty-one."

The woman eyed Akira for a short while longer, then began leafing through the book at a leisurely pace.

"Storm-style?" Tsunade muttered. She looked up at Akira, irritated. "Why do I feel like I'm being accused?"

"I'm not accusing you of anything, Lady Tsunade. I want you to explain something to me."

"Explain what?"

Akira held out her hand, and Tsunade eyed it cautiously. Slowly, pale white Chakra rose from Akira's palm until it began to twist and turn into clear water and sparks. Then all of a sudden a fluid coil of electricity began to whirl above Akira's open hand. She watched it glow in Lady Tsunade's widened eyes.

"The Storm-style... How?"

"You tell me. That's why I'm here," Akira said bluntly.

"Where'd you get this book?" Tsunade asked again.

"Orochimaru. I got this too."

Akira pulled out the scroll he'd given her too and handed it over to the Hokage.

"He knows more than he's letting on. He always does," Akira said, vexed. "Stupid, snake..."

"This used to be in that bookshelf," Tsunade said, pointing to the only bookshelf in her office.

"I figured as much."

"You didn't get anything else from him?"

"I would have asked him more questions all this, but unfortunately they came at a cost."

"Still trying to keep you by his side, huh?" Tsunade scoffed.

"Do you know anything, Lady Tsunade?" Akira asked.

"I'm afraid I don't remember much of her. She died when I was really young, along with my grandfather and their brother, Tobirama. The First Shinobi World War was brutal - most countries were left devastated."

"So, you don't know anything about her or her kekkei genkai?"

"I'm afraid not."

Akira sighed and bowed. If Tsunade didn't know anything up to here, it wasn't necessary to mention anything about odd dreams and visions that caused no harm. If anything, the mention of them would only create concern and doubt in Akira's capabilities, probably deeming her unfit for duty or some similar variation.

She thanked the Hokage for her time and left the office, no particular destination in mind. As usual, her feet led her to the main street of Konoha and then into the market, where she spotted Sakura picking up what looked like a bag full of medicinal herbs.

"What're you making?" Akira said, peeking into Sakura's bags.

"Hello to you too," Sakura sighed.

"Oh, right. Hey, Sakura. So... what're you making?"

"Food pills."

"You're making them for Naruto, huh?"

"He's training way too hard. Speaking of which, why aren't you with him?"

"Just gave my report to Tsunade," Akira said, kicking a small rock. "I just wandered off after that. I didn't really have a destination in mind or a plan for the rest of my day."

"You could buy some new clothes."

Akira turned towards the voice. It was Sai, leisurely walking around the streets. Sakura didn't seem too surprised to see him. The Uchiha wondered how much time they'd been spending together since they got back from the whole Sasuke ordeal.

"What's wrong with the clothes I have now?" Akira said, raising an eyebrow.

"You said these were your mother's clothes, right?" Sakura asked, a little timid.

"Get to the point, people."

"You have bigger breasts than your mother."

Akira stared a Sai for an entire minute, a deadpan look on her face, before she slowly inhaled and exhaled in an attempt to calm herself. How could she forget how blunt Sai was? Sakura on the other hand looked like she was trying not to look down or anywhere for that matter, rather hoping for someone to give her an excuse to leave. Akira looked down at herself and sighed.

"Jeez, this is embarrassing," the girl groaned. "I didn't ask for this..."

"Um... I could help you look for stuff," Sasuke suggested.

"Yeah, sure, why not? As long as Ino doesn't show up and turn this into a fashion show."

"You talking about that festival ordeal?"

"Heck yeah, I am!"

"Festival ordeal?" Sai asked, apparently tagging along.

"There was makeup on my face, Sai! That doesn't happen, ever!"

"I think I stabbed her in the eye twice trying to put eyeliner on," Sakura laughed.

"At least Ino didn't make me wear pink," Akira said with a shudder.

Sai gave a small chuckle.

"Pink is definitely not your colour."

"Oh, that's right!" Sakura gasped. "You're an artist! You can figure out what Akira looks in best!"

"Hey, hey, hey. I agreed to buying clothes, not to modeling them."

It was Sai, in the end, who had the last word on what Akira purchased for everyday wear, though Sakura and Akira agreed with his choice. It didn't take very long, much to the Uchiha's relief. Sai went directly to one rack of clothing and pulled something out, without examining it much, and asked Akira to try it on. It was still a long kimono shirt, but the blue of the fabric was a bit more intense than the navy she was wearing before, and Sai evoked old memories when he suggested her bandanna be worn around her waist as a tight belt around her waist. She stared at her father's headband for a long while, remembering the first time she ever put it on after graduating from the Academy and smiled, giving a cheeky thumbs up of approval to Sakura and Sai when she turned towards them.

Akira said her goodbyes to Sai and Sakura soon after, deciding to finally join Kakashi, Yamato and Naruto for the boy's training. The training ground was different than before. A large waterfall had been created, most likely by Yamato, and Akira went straight past Kakashi and Yamato to stand by the cascade of water, completely mesmerized by the water, as usual. Naruto stared at her for a while, trying to identify her through fatigue and different clothes, but eventually greeted her with a cheer and rambling about his training until he returned to it.

Akira put her hands on her hips and smiled, gazing at her teammate's hard training. He was trying to cut the waterfall now, and Akira could tell that that would take quite a while, but looking at him train to tirelessly, Akira knew he was going to make it. The girl sighed contentedly, making Kakashi's eyes turn from Naruto to the girl a few feet away. His gaze lingered on her longer than he'd admit, and he was lucky that Akira was too captivated by the waterfall to notice. Yamato did though, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the light shade of pink rising on Kakashi's face.


	120. Asuma Sarutobi

Akira stretched out her arms into the early morning, eyes illuminating at the sight of the rising sun and vivid colours of the sky. She always knew it would be a rainy and stormy day when she the sky was tinted with shades of coral, but for now she couldn't feel the temperature of the air which meant that until it rained, the day would be beautiful. Outside had the sweet fragrance of jasmine and the birds chattered in the plum trees. Akira got up and swung her thin yukata over herself as she walked to the window. She breathed deeply and exhaled slowly. A few clouds made their unhurried way across the sky and towards the ocean, the sun was already half-risen, a warm ball of yellow above.

For the first time in a long time, Akira dragged out her morning routine - she finally had the time. So she ran herself a bath, pouring in a heaping amount of scented soap, then soaked in the warm water until the point that when she emerged, the scent of agarwood stuck to her skin like a perfume. Soon the agarwood mixed with the scent of jasmine coming from outside and the tea that Akira began to brew. She took out some rice and sipped on a cup of tea while it cooked, then used some leftover dashi broth to concoct a quick miso soup. After grilling a few vegetables, Akira plated everything up and went to sit down at the table. She stooped a few feet from it and smiled, instead heading out to the table she remembered she had outside. The perfume of the jasmine flowers surrounded Akira and soothed her soul as she ate in peaceful silence. The constant ticking of the sōzu filled the air, and the song of birds echoed through the garden. The sky was blue again, like it was the day prior, and it made Akira wonder if it was going to rain, after all.

Akira walked along the streets of Konoha, small bag in hand, and looking around the waking town. She passed a few ninja on her way to see Naruto, Yamato and Kakashi, who had been staying out training day and night for the past week. Shikamaru, Ino and Choji were amongst the ninja, on a special mission with other platoons of ninja. Akira wondered why so many Shinobi had been deployed and suspected the Akatsuki were involved. It irritated her that Tsunade hadn't included her in the mission, but she supposed it was for the best, as Yamato couldn't hold up all by himself.

Yamato and Naruto were already up by the time Akira reached them. The boy was still trying to split the waterfall, and Yamato was still holding out his arms towards Naruto, stabilizing his Chakra. Kakashi on the other hand was still sound asleep on one of the roll-out mattresses Akira insisted everyone have out here while they were training. She couldn't see anything other than the closed right eye she always saw, but Akira thought Kakashi looked quite peaceful in sleep. She tried really hard to remember what he looked like underneath that mask, but she gave up and resolved herself to sitting beside Kakashi's sleeping figure. He stirred a few moments later.

"Good morning, sleepy head."

"Oh, morning," Kakashi said with a yawn. He sat up and looked at her, a little dazed. "You're here later than usual."

"Made you breakfast," Akira said, handing Kakashi the small bag she'd been carrying. "Well, I made myself breakfast and brought leftovers. If I'm not mistaken, you're quite fond of miso soup?"

"You know me so well. It's sort of terrifying, really."

"Shut up and eat, old man."

Kakashi chuckled and began eating immediately. Yamato and Naruto gave him dirty looks, as their only means sustenance these past few days were the disgusting homemade food pills that Sakura had been making. She'd stop by every day and bring a basket full of them and chat with Akira for a bit, while the Uchiha was taking a break from her own training. Sai, Kiba and Hinata stopped by a few times as well, mostly to admire from afar, as they didn't want to interrupt the serious training half of Team Seven was going through. However, Akira would always noticed them and put her training on hold, favouring her friends over training she still had six months to complete, for it was now in six months that Orochimaru would need Sasuke for real.

She and Kiba sparred on occasion, and she found that he'd gotten much better since the last time she'd sparred with him. For the first time since the Academy, Kiba could actually block her attacks and land some of his own. Granted, Akira wasn't using the Sharingan to help her. Hinata was always half paying attention to Akira, mostly focused on Naruto, something the Uchiha constantly poked fun at much to Hinata's embarrassment, but she was still quite interested in Akira's training and progress. Sai never ventured further than the treeline and it was Akira who went over to see him. He never really spoke much, but drew instead, and Akira found that his most recent drawings were of herself or Naruto, posed perfectly in their training.

Naruto was still trying to cut the waterfall, and he'd continue his attempts for days. Meanwhile, Akira was trying to learn more about the kekkei genkai she'd discovered, portioning her Water-style and Lightning-style Chakras different ways to see the outcome. So far, she'd discovered that imputing too much electricity made her Chakra concentration blow up in her face, which caused her a few minor injuries over the next three days. She'd read and reread the scroll Orochimaru had given her, imitating the forms and hand seals of a few jutsu and read and reread the pages on Takara Senju or anything relating to the Storm-style kekkei genkai. If Naruto was going to master the creation of a new Jutsu, then Akira was going to master the Storm-style like she had been using it since birth.

Around midday, the rain that Akira had expected that morning arrived. The rain hit her skin like it would go right through and the downpour only filled the basin at the bottom of the waterfall even more. The water streamed through Akira's hair, down her neck, and she was completely soaked in seconds. So much so that even as she stood beside the waterfall, she couldn't feel the splashing of the nearby cascade. Droplets of water flew off of her body as she moved under the pouring rain, kicking and punching in an attempt to execute her Jutsu in different styles. A chilly breeze crept in, but Akira didn't care. Even though she could repel the water and be dry within seconds, the Uchiha girl remained determined and focused on her training. Rain wasn't going to bother her, especially considering her relationship with water.

Kakashi hid under the cover of a wooden shelter Yamato had just made, with the latter joining him seconds, then resuming the stabilising of Naruto's Chakra. Kakashi looked up from his book just as Akira punched the air and let out a fierce cry, a bright blue beam of energy sprouting from her fist. His eyes remained fixed on her as the girl watched the Chakra fade back into her hand. Akira stared at the water drops rolling off her arms one by one. She loved the rain, and she always had.

There was a slight hint of disappointment on her face when the downpour slowed into a mist and then faded away completely. Kakashi smiled a little. Akira looked up to the sky. It was every shade of grey, some areas pale and others dark. A strong gust of wind ripped off quite a few leaves off the trees, and Akira watched them swirl into the air. She expected them to fall to the ground, but another gust of wind took them away, never to be seen again. Akira wiped her wet hair out of her face and stared into the distance.

She didn't usually take heed to these sort of things, but this time Akira had a bad feeling.

"Idiot, you're gonna catch a cold like this," Kakashi said, tossing something at Akira.

A large blanket landed in her face so she pulled it over her head and sat down beside Kakashi.

"You worry too much," Akira scoffed, wrapping herself in the blanket.

"I think I worry just enough."

"Of course you'd day that. You're not the one who gets nagged all the time."

"I think it's nice that Kakashi-senpai is genuinely concerned for y-"

"Butt out, Yamato!"

Kakashi laughed and ruffled Akira's hair. She swatted his hand away and cursed at him, which made Yamato laugh in turn. Hearing all the commotion behind him, Naruto left the waterfall's side and joined the three other ninja. He stared at them funny, then messed up Kakashi's hair in Akira's defense. Kakashi came out of the surprise attack, his hair even more of a mess than usual. Akira's face heated up and she looked away, frowning out of confusion.

"You okay, Akira?" Naruto asked all of a sudden, getting very close to her face. "Your face is all red."

"Back up, you idiot!" Akira shouted, which made Naruto recoil out of fear.

Akira huffed and crossed her arms. She glanced over again. Kakashi looked a little confused, but Yamato had a sly smile on his face. Akira glared at him - what the heck was that smile for?

"What's up with you!?"

"Just observing."

"Well, observe something else!"

Akira's face calmed instantly when Izumo suddenly appeared behind Naruto, but it soon turned to concern when she saw his face. He was solemn looking. Was her bad feeling earlier correct? Had something happened during the mission, to the village?

"Izumo?" Akira said softly, dropping the blanket in standing.

"You guys have to stop your training and return to the village immediately," Izumo said in almost a sigh.

"What!? No way!" Naruto shouted.

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked.

The look on Izumo's face grew darker.

Unease grew within her and her eyes slowly began to widen. As Akira began to understand what Izumo was going to say, the dread had already crept over her like an icy chill. Without a second thought, Akira's hand slowly and subtly reached out for Kakashi's and she held it tightly. Whether it was to comfort him or herself, she didn't know or care, all she knew it that the news that came out of Izumo's mouth hit her like a hurricane. And it was only when the dreaded words were spoken that Kakashi's hand squeezed back.

"It's Asuma Sarutobi... he was killed in the line of duty."


	121. Revenge Where it is Due

Death wasn't kind. Akira knew that. It snatched where it could, taking people who were far too young, far too good. It didn't pretend to care, it didn't pretend to distinguish. The hooded vale of death had hung over the world for a long time, always threatening. It had never touched Akira quite so close until recently. At first it was Kai, and Death had ripped away a part of her, the part of her that was most loved. And now it was Asuma, tearing off a chunk from Kakashi and Shikamaru's souls. Today, as everyone, dressed in black, stared at Kurenai lay flowers by the fresh tombstone, the world had gone cold, because of the plague that was death.

Many had cried, many wore stony expressions, others seemed peaceful. Most stayed put, looking sadly upon Kurenai who knelt beside Asuma's grave for hours. Some, simply coming to pay their respects, left quickly to let friends and family mourn. Akira didn't let go of Kakashi's hand until most people had left, and she went up to Kurenai. Her tear streaked face looked up at her, pale and sunken, and without a word she nodded to the Uchiha's unspoken question. Akira knlet down beside the grieving woman and closed her eyes, setting her hands on her lap.

"For a second you were flying, like you always wanted to. Now you'll fly forever in skies of azure blue. We'll see your smile in every ray of sunshine after rain and hear the echo of your laughter over all the pain. The world's a little quieter now, the colours have lost their hue, the birds are singing softly and our hearts are missing you. Each time we see a little cloud or a rainbow soaring high, we'll think of you and gently wipe a tear from our eye."

Akira opened her eyes and stood, bowing to the pale grave before her. Kurenai whispered a thank you, the sound barely reaching Akira's ears, and she stood too. Akira watched her walk away with a pained expression on her face. When the Uchiha turned back, Kakashi was leaving, head hanging back towards the sky. She glanced at Kiba, Hinata and Shino, who all flocked to Kurenai, then to Ino and Choji who were still looking around for Shikamaru - he hadn't shown up to the funeral. Akira hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should go find Shikamaru, but she saw Kakashi slipping out of view, and didn't waste a second before running after him.

She firmly grasped his hand and followed by his side for a short while, in mournful silence. There wasn't really a sky today. The usual bright hues of Konohagakure were muted to the point of dullness, and not even the giggling children running around the street could brighten Kakashi's or Akira's mood. The air was heavy with the dampness of a coming storm, and soon even the giggling children had to retreat to their dwellings, suddenly just as dark as the outside. It was quiet out, unnaturally so, only the soft footfalls of the two friends to be heard. As Kakashi began to pull in the direction of his house, Akira gently tugged him away and lead him to her compound.

"You can let go now," Kakashi said quietly. "I'll be fine on my own."

"Like hell you will," Akira said sternly.

"It's not the first time-"

"Yes. Yes it is."

Akira stopped and turned to Kakashi, eyes staring straight into his own ashen-coloured eye.

"I wasn't there when you lost Obito or Rin, and all the others you haven't talked about, but I am now. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let you mourn yet another comrade alone. So yes, this is the first time. The first time you'll have someone to share your pain with."

"Akira..."

"Don't argue with me, old man!" Akira said resuming her walk, pulling Kakashi with her.

Despite the dark heavy feeling in his heart, Kakashi's face broke into a small sad smile. As always, Akira was something to admire, unfailingly kind and putting others first. No matter how much she was grieving, no matter how much she wanted to lash out at her training posts in anger, no matter how much she wanted to spend some time to herself; Akira was going to put Kakashi first, a man who'd been suffering for far too long. Alone.

Rain had started to pour when the compound was in sight. Kakashi and Akira jogged up to the engawa and took shelter inside, peeling off their wet coats and tossing them into a corner. A pot of tea was made in minutes and shared between the two friends as they sat by the back porch, sipping in silence. They listened to the sound of the rain and watched in fall, creating little lakes in dips in the land. Akira's head soon grew heavy and it rested on top of Kakashi's shoulder, the pot of tea long forgotten and turned cold.

It took a long time for either Kakashi or Akira to say something, and when they did it wasn't immediately about Asuma or his loss. At first it was just their last mission, the mention of the Camellia necklace hanging around the Akira's neck, the stupid books Kakashi read. Eventually, Kakashi trusted his weight to Akira's compassion, and vice-versa. They laid it all out, vulnerable in their grief, all the scars, the messes, the fear and the mistakes they'd made, all the things they wished they could start over. They let each other come close, let each other hide, take refuge and return without any shame. Every time one of them thought the other had had enough, there was only patience and understand that neither of them felt that they'd earned. Kakashi and Akira never wanted to be this way; they had pride, and lots of it. They needed to be seen as strong, though neither of them were currently and were still so far from achieving. The true healing they desperately needed would take time. There were no Jutsu or magic tricks for deep pain and loss. Just time.

"What're you thinking?" Kakashi asked quietly, resting his head on top of Akira's.

"Shikamaru..." Akira sighed. "He's level-headed... but I have a bad feeling that he's going to do something stupid. I don't think it would take much from Ino and Choji to convince him."

"You think he'd go after the Akatsuki?"

"Probably. He wouldn't call it revenge, though. He'd just say he was getting even."

The rain began to slow, and soon the greyscale painting that was the sky faded into darkness, hues of indigo and violet reaching the horizon for the briefest of moments. Neither Kakashi or Akira moved until morning came, and neither of them slept either, but the emotional fatigue outweighed the physical by a landslide. Just as the oranges and yellows of the dawn began to ease their way upwards and into the sky, a small knock came on Akira's door. Both Kakashi and Akira turned to look, a little startled, but they weren't surprised to see Shikamaru standing in front of them. Akira gasped and ran to him, trapping him in a bone crushing hug.

"Ino and Choji were so worried!" Akira shouted, as she punched him in the shoulder. "I was worried!"

"Ouch, woman!" Shimakaru complained.

"Don't 'ouch' me mister! where the hell have you been?"

"Home, but I'm about to leave with Choji and Ino."

"No, you're not going. Shikamaru, do you want to die!? This is the Akatsuki we're talking about, and you barely came home alive yesterday!"

"Akira, I'm going whether you want me to or not and you know that," Shikamaru said, giving his friend a sad look.

"I'll go with him."

Akira's eyes widened and she turned her head around. Kakashi was already standing and halfway out the door by the time she caught him by the wrist. Shikamaru thanked Kakashi and told him that Ino, Choji and himself would be waiting by the main entrance for him, then he left, disappearing into the morning light.

"Are you out of your mind!?" Akira said loudly, staring at Kakashi as though he'd grown a second head. "You can't go out there! For one, Lady Tsunade won't have it, and second there's no way I'm letting you go out there on your own!"

"I won't be alone. Shikamaru, Ino and Choji will have my back," Kakashi said.

"Fine! Then I'm coming too!"

"No."

"No? What do you mean, no? I can't go but you can?"

"Yeah..."

"Well why the hell is that!?"

"Because I can't afford to lose you too."

In any other situation, the words that had just come out of Kakashi's mouth would have warmed her heart and heated her cheeks. This time however, it only infuriated her more than she already was.

"Right, because I can afford to lose you!?"

Kakashi closed his eyes and took a deep sigh before removing his mask. His handsome features flooded her mind again, and finally the heat rose to her cheeks, though it did not diminish her anger. Akira gazed straight at him, gaze unwavering and stern. Kakashi gently took Akira by the shoulders and pulled her in for a hug, which she returned immediately.

"You know that I'm going to go to Lady Tsunade with this, right?"

"I'd expect no less from you."

Kakashi slowly pulled away and put a warm hand on Akira's head. He gazed at her face one last time before pulling up his mask again. Then his hand slowly left Akira's head, long locks of black hair running through his fingers as he backed away from her. Akira stared at him, fear, sadness and anger swirling in her eyes, and then in a split second he was gone, leaving a cold spot on her head where he hand once rested. She took a deep breath and sighed, then went to her room to pack up her things. Akira was going to join them one way or another, with or without Lady Tsunade's approval.

"Don't die until I get there, Kakashi."


	122. Could He Feel It?

The second Akira was packed and ready for battle, she transported herself to the Hokage's office. She wasn't there yet, only Shizune was in the room and she screeched when Akira materialised out of thin air. The sun had only just completely risen, and Akira's eyes were dead set on the horizon out the window, with her arms crossed in waiting. It took several long minutes of Shizune nervously staring at Akira for Tsunade to arrive, and she had barely stepped a foot inside her office when Akira turned to her with a stern look on her face.

The two women stared at each other for a moment. Tsunade knew exactly why Akira was there, and Akira knew that Tsunade was aware of her reason for being in her office so early in the morning. It was only a question of who was going to give in and speak first, allowing the other to reply with as much force as they could muster. In the end, it was Tsunade who gave up and sighed, walking around Akira to sit at her desk.

"I know why you're here," she sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"You're the Hokage. There isn't a single thing that comes or goes from this village without you knowing about. You had to confront Team Ten and Kakashi at the gate this morning."

"And what if I did?"

"Then why the hell did you let them leave!?" Akira shouted, turning to face the woman. "You know its a suicide mission! It's the Akatsuki, Lady Tsunade, and from what Izumo told me they're immortal!"

"Akira-"

"Send me to help them."

"What? No! If you're going out, it'll be with a team," Tsunade argued.

"Then send me and the rest of Team Seven!" Akira countered. "We work best together - we know our Jutsu like the back of our hands so coming up with an attack plan wouldn't be much of a problem. I also happen to know Kakashi's and Shikamaru's battle styles pretty well - don't you think that our team would be ideal for the task?"

"Has Naruto learned his new Jutsu yet?"

"Well, no-"

"Then I won't be sending Team Seven."

"Twenty four hours!" Akira exclaimed, a little desperate. "I'm asking for twenty four hours, and if Naruto hasn't completed his Jutsu by then, you can send another team."

Sakura walked into Lady Tsunade's office just as Akira spoke the last few words of her request. She stood in the doorway, slightly confused. Tsunade glanced at her for a split second and then looked back to Akira. She sighed and nodded, which prompted the Uchiha to bow deeply to the Hokage and run out the room, dragging Sakura with her. She didn't explain anything on the way, simply pulled her through the streets until she reached the area where Yamato and Naruto were still training. Looks of surprise and confusion etched themselves onto their features, a little concern radiating off them - Akira wasn't one to hurry this much in normal circumstances.

"Akira, is everything all right?" Yamato asked.

"Kakashi and Team Ten have gone after the Akatsuki."

"What!?" Naruto and Sakura echoed.

"Yeah, they left at the crack of dawn," Akira said.

"I see... So what did Lady Tsunade have to say?"

"She let them go, but she wants to send them some backup."

"Aren't we the best for that job?" Sakura asked. "I mean, we know all of our battle styles, plus you know Kakashi's pretty good..."

"We are. Which is why we have twenty four hours. In twenty four hours, if Naruto hasn't completed his Jutsu, then Lady Tsunade is sending another team to back them up."

"Within twenty four hours, huh?" Yamato sighed.

"You think I can do it, Akira?" Naruto asked.

"It doesn't matter whether you can or can't, Naruto. You have to, because I don't want to be reprimanded for going after Kakashi and Shikamaru on my own," Akira said, eyes filled with determination. "You're going to do this in twenty four hours."

"Well, I've already been training all night, I don't think I'll need the twenty four hours," Naruto said, serious. "We'll probably be able to leave earlier than Grandma Tsunade expects."

Akira narrowed her eyes and stared at Naruto, which scared him a little.

"Let's try something, first."

* * *

Naruto, Akira, Sakura, Yamato and Sai were hot on their heels now. Akira was within close enough range to sense Kakashi's Chakra signature.

Akira and Sai were at the front, eyes scanning ahead for any sign of their comrades or any disturbances. Naruto was at the center, keeping an eye on their backs and watching their flanks, hoping that no Akatsuki members attacked them from the side. Sakura and and Yamato were at the back, keeping up the line, watching everyone's backs, including their own.

The silence was the most terrifying part of this whole mission. It was like just before a a bomb dropped. Akira's breath and her own heartbeat were all the sounds that she could hear. She couldn't hear her team; she'd blocked them out, only aware of them and their every movement. She couldn't hear the tree leaves rustle as the wind blew in their face, hell she could barely feel the wind on her face. Akira was so focused on that sensation, the feeling of Kakashi's Chakra radiating, that everything else was blocked from her mind. Finding him was her priority.

And then everything happened in a flash as Team Seven came upon a clearing in the dead forest. Akira spotted the enemy a fair distance away, but fire accentuated by wind was rushing towards Kakashi, Ino and Choji. Without a word, Naruto switched positions with Sai. Akira and Naruto performed different hand seals, but performed their Jutsu simultaneously. With the combination of Naruto's recently acquired Wind-style and Akira's Water-style, Naruto and Akira performed a combination technique to turn the torrent of fire into a thick mist. Sakura ran up beside Ino, Yamato and Sai positioned themselves behind Choji and Ino respectively, and Naruto landed himself beside Kakashi as the mist began to clear.

The second Akira's feet touched the ground in front of Kakashi, her hands had whipped out her Katana. Within moments, clear blue light broke apart the cloud of mist and electrified the air. She stood fiercely in front of Kakashi, eyes a bright red and dead set on the monstrosity in front of her.

"Sorry we're late."

"Actually, your timing is impeccable as always," Kakashi said airily.

"Akira! Sakura!" Ino gasped.

"Thanks for the support," Choji said, smiling brightly.

"You know, I've never seen you this beat, Kakashi," Akira said, looking at Kakashi over her shoulder. She smirked. "You're getting weak in your old age."

"Yeah, well, that guy's sort of annoyingly tough."

Akira looked back at the enemy and she frowned. It was a man, at least it used to be, as nearly every limb was sewn together and bursting at the literal seams with what looked like tendrils of malleable metal. He had merged with two giant black beings bearing masks. The Chakra coming off of him was almost nauseating.

"More strange people..." he said, his stitched up mouth barely holding together, "and you look pretty tired already."

He wasn't wrong. The second Naruto and Akira had succeeded in performing their combination technique, as well as Naruto's ultimate Jutsu, they left to find Team Ten with haste.

"Yeah... you guys okay?" Choji asked.

"Where's Shikamaru?" Akira asked, changing the subject.

"He's a little ways off, fighting the other enemy."

"Who's best to pursue him, Kakashi?"

"Long distance fighter and a medic."

"Sai, Sakura," Akira said firmly.

"Got it."

Kakashi summoned Pakkun to help with the search and then Sai and Sakura departed at once to find Shikamaru.

"Hm, what's this disorganized bunch trying to do?" the enemy mumbled. "What do I care? Now there are more hearts to chose from."

"Kakashi. What's his deal?"

"Any range. Fire and Wind-style. Destroy the masks."

"Got it. Naruto, you're with me," Akira stated. She turned to Yamato. "Sorry about taking the leadership role here, Yamato. I just don't deal well with people threatening the people I care about and well, I tend to disobey orders given to me in order to keep them safe. Can't disobey if I'm giving them, right?" She chuckled lightly. "Think you can keep and eye on Choji, Ino and Kakashi?"

"Leave them to me," Yamato said.

Akira nodded and looked to Naruto. He created two Shadow Clones and had them charge at the enemy. They were easily defeated, but it told Akira and Naruto two things. The first thing was that they needed him to be pinned down. The second, well two Shadow Clones just wasn't enough... but three would do.

"Pin him down," Naruto said.

"You got it," Akira said with a smirk.

She embedded her Katana into the ground and rose her hands up to her chest, then performed a few hand seals. All of sudden, a halo of bright blue light began to spread around her fingers as the technique activated, until it encircled Akira's hands to form an orb of concentrated energy. The light was so bright, their entire surroundings were washed in a shade of blue. Meanwhile, Naruto summoned three Shadow Clones. One of them stood watch beside Akira, the others began to build up the spinning motion of the Rasengan and the Wind-style Chakra Naruto had finally managed to get the hang of.

"Storm-style: Raijū's Torrent!"

Suddenly, several dozen bright beams of electricity flowed like water out of the orb and shot themselves at the enemy. Before he could even blink, the Akatsuki's body was pierced by several laser-like tendrils, similar to the ones coming out of his body. Three pierced his stomach, two hit each shoulder, another two smashed each mask to smithereens and the last one perforated his neck, making blood spill all over the ground. The two figures attached to him suddenly melted into a black puddle and laid on the ground, inert and useless.

"What the-" he said, voice weaker than before. "Where'd that come from!?"

A gust of strong wind began to rise around the current battlefield. Chunks of rock began breaking off from the ground and flying everywhere as Naruto's clones finally completed the Jutsu. In place of his signature Rasengan, at the center of the Naruto's palm was a spinning shuriken made of wind.

"Wind-style: Rasenshuriken!"

The three clones suddenly ran forward with the original Naruto following quickly behind. Akira nearly lost her balance as they ran past, the sheer force of the Jutsu tearing up everything it came into contact with. The three clones surrounded the enemy, and they were all taken out simultaneously with the odd tendrils protruding from his body. However, he didn't have enough left for the Naruto coming at him with the Rasenshuriken. Unfortunately, Naruto ran out of steam the second he was near the enemy's chest.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Ino complained.

"I told you, you trained too long!" Yamato shouted from a distance.

There wasn't much time to waste. The Akatsuki ripped himself from Akira's hold and jumped towards Naruto. Kakashi jumped in and pulled Naruto away, just as Yamato sent spines of wood to get the enemy away from Akira and the boy.

"The hell, Kakashi? You said destroy the masks!"

"Yeah, four out of five hearts are gone now. He's gotta be extra careful now."

"What do you mean five hearts!?"

"Before you got here, I'd already killed him twice."

Akira looked at the enemy wide-eyed. That meant that the untouched spot on his chest was where the remaining heart lied, the key to his demise. Akira picked up her Katana, aiming to go at him at close range, but Naruto stepped forward. He had his heart set on defeating this evil with his new Jutsu... and he succeeded. The large shuriken collided with the enemy's chest and then it projected him a few dozen feet before the Jutsu detonated, producing a vortex of wind in the immediate area. The shockwave nearly knocked everyone back, especially Kakashi, weak after using the Chidori too often and his Sharingan for too long. Akira ran up behind him and put her back to his to hold him up, a cheeky smile on her face.

As the vortex died and Ino and Choji went to help Naruto up from the ground, Akira looked at the boy, face serene. Could he feel it? Did Sasuke know that he was the one Naruto always envisioned before him? He was steadily making him stronger, feeding his will. But it wasn't just Sasuke who made people stronger.

Akira looked up at Kakashi. Could he feel it? Did he know that, after spending all that time protecting others, he finally had someone to do the same for him? Could Kakashi tell that Akira's growth was to protect him? He'd saved Akira from so much darkness, the villain inside of her, and he did it without question, without hesitation. Now it was her turn. Her turn to be his hero, his light.


	123. The Stillness of Deep Sleep

Akira felt like a proper soldier when Sai and Sakura came back with Shikamaru, soldiers who carried their surviving comrades with pride to hide the sadness and exhaustion that they felt on the inside. Even though she hadn't gone through much battle herself, she felt the pain and the tiredness of her friends as they all rallied together after defeating Kakuzu. The second she'd spotted Shikamaru, Akira ran to him, temporarily forgetting about Kakashi, and hugged him so tightly he could barely breathe. All the worry she'd held in the moment he was nowhere to be see upon her arrival was finally unleashing itself through shaky breaths of relief and whispers of small gentle words.

"Never do that to me again, you hear?" Akira whispered near Shikamaru's ear. "We already lost Kai... Kiba and I can't lose you too. Promise me, Shikamaru."

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere, I promise," Shikamaru whispered in return, giving her a proper hug for once. "You're stuck me with for a long time."

"Good."

Then they all received emergency treatment from Ino and Sakura and began their long trek home. Akira would have transported them home one by one, but she felt like taking the long way today, savouring the time she'd spend with her friends as she found herself lucky to have them all come home in one piece, and would take full advantage of this because the next mission could go far worse. Anything was possible when you were a shinobi, and the bad endings tended to follow Akira wherever she went.

Shikamaru, Ino and Choji were walking together, mourning the loss of their teacher but also silently reveling in the defeat of Hidan and Kakuzu, the ones responsible for Asuma Sarutobi's death. Sakura and Sai were holding up an injured Naruto, the sheer force of his Jutsu taking its toll on a body that was barely able to withstand it despite being its creator. Looking at him, Akira wasn't sure Tsunade would let Naruto use it ever again. Yamato remained uninjured, though he was the one who was charged with carrying the body of the enemy back to Konoha for examination. Information like this couldn't be left behind, and well, Akira would have carried Kakuzu back herself, but she was currently busy holding up an exhausted Kakashi, whose flak jacket and Leaf bandanna had apparently been decimated by one of Kakuzu's attacks. Neither Kakashi or Akira were complaining though, as he was lucky to have escaped alive, and it didn't hurt that the girl got to see more than a quarter of his face for a change.

Izumo and Kotetsu greeted them upon entering the village, and they escorted Yamato and the body to the coroner's office for examination. Akira and Sakura wanted to take their injured to the hospital immediately, but Kakashi insisted on heading to the Hokage's office to give an update first, given that none of them were mortally wounded. The girls reluctantly agreed, and so here they were, standing mostly proudly in front of the Hokage after having explained to her the events that had unfolded nearby Konohagakure.

"Great work, everyone," Lady Tsunade said, though her face didn't show the joy that she was expressing. There were still far more serious things to discuss. "The immediate danger has passed, but the Akatsuki still remain. Do not let down your guard."

Lady Tsunade glanced at Naruto, more specifically his wounds on his right arm. Akira wasn't a medical ninja, but she could tell that his arm was broken in more than one spot. The Hokage didn't seem too pleased about it.

"Get yourself checked out at the hospital, Naruto."

"Nah, I don't need-"

"Yes, you do!" Sakura shouted, hitting him over the head. "Don't worry, Tsunade-sama, I'll take responsibility and make sure he gets there. Got it, Naruto!?"

"Y-Yeah!"

"All right, then. I order you to take a few days off. Rest your minds and your bodies... Dismissed!"

Everyone nodded respectfully to the Hokage before exiting the room. Shikamaru, Ino and Choji headed off somewhere together, Sakura brought Naruto to the hospital and Sai left on his own as usual. Akira supported Kakashi until they reached his house, though the girl initially wanted to drag him to the hospital. Kakashi managed to convince her that all he needed was a bit of rest and he'd be fine, so she reluctantly dropped him on his bed and climbed up onto the window sill and stared out at the street below.

"You can go home, you know," Kakashi said, pulling off his torn mask.

"I don't really feel like it, to be honest," Akira said with a sigh. "It's too quiet."

"So, you enjoy the constant noises from neighbours in the other room?"

"What if I do?"

"Then I'd tell you that you were insane," Kakashi chuckled, lying down. "It's annoying at two in the morning."

"Why don't you move then?" Akira asked, looking over to him. "Get out of this boarding house and get a real place."

"It's a moot point. I just sleep here."

"Maybe if you had a bigger place you'd invite people over or something, who knows?" Akira chuckled. "You could make food for the team since you always weasel your way out of treating us after a mission. I heard you smooth-talked Yamato into paying for you and Naruto the other day."

"Pardon me for not keeping an open tab at Yakiniku-Q like Asuma did," Kakashi said with a smile.

As soon as the sentence was spoken, the smile on Kakashi's face vanished into a solemn expression. Akira looked at him sadly.

"Get some rest, old man," the girl said quietly. "Tsunade's going to call for us once Kakuzu's autopsy is done."

"Yeah... All right."

Akira turned back towards the window and watched a few kids kick a ball around. The girl soon became lost in thought, thinking of how Shikamaru and Kakashi must feel after Asuma's loss. They were closer to him than anyone, and while Akira was saddened by his loss, she couldn't feel much more than that. What made her more sad was seeing Kakashi like this, lethargic and disinterested like everyone thought he was normally when truly he wasn't.

"Hey, Akira?"

The Uchiha snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Kakashi. He was staring at the ceiling, face devoid of any emotion.

"Can I ask you something weird?"

"Go ahead."

"Can you sing something?"

"You want me to sing something?" Akira repeated, confused. "Why?"

"It's comforting. Your voice."

Akira went to say something, but her embarrassment prevented any sound from escaping her mouth. She was sort of thankful in a way, as the only sounds that would have exited her mouth would have been loud words of protest, something that definitely wasn't needed at the moment. Instead, Akira momentarily hid the redness of her cheeks by turning away from him again and took a deep breath to calm herself. The hell was Kakashi thinking saying things like that?

Akira sighed and jumped off from the window sill. She sat down at the edge of Kakashi's bed deep in thought, debating which song to sing. Kakashi turned his gaze from the white ceiling and his eyes rested on Akira's profile, unblinking, though the effect wasn't cold or harsh, but inviting. Perhaps it was his lips that gave away his intention, not quite smiling but tilting as if they meant to. Though the smile grew once Akira began singing.

It had taken Akira a moment to decide which song to sing, as per usual they were all songs that her mother used to sing to her or her brothers when they were younger, and she found it sort of embarrassing to sing them. Especially to Kakashi, since they could be interpreted in many ways and well, their relationship was already strange enough. But Akira remembered a song that Mikoto had sung to Sasuke one summer, and to Akira it seemed oddly fitting no matter the used vocabulary.

Kakashi had found that her voice was usually clear and smooth and soothing, but today it was something else. Her voice drifted through the room in sorrowful waves. He couldn't even tell if it was words that came from her. Her voice was music, and grace, and the haunting feeling that this song and her voice were brought out in a fit of sadness, grief and pain.

 _Cast away your worries, my dear_

 _For tomorrow comes a new day_

 _Hold to me, you've nothing to fear_

 _For your dreams are not far away_

 _As you lay your head and you rest_

 _May your dreams take over, my love_

 _Listen close, my son of the west_

 _For your destiny lies above_

 _Though the world is cruel_

 _There's a light that still shines_

 _In the darkest days of our lives_

 _When all hope seems lost_

 _And you can't find your way_

 _Think of me as you look to the sky_

 _Child mine, your future is bright_

 _For your father's blood's in your veins_

 _In dark times, I pray you will fight_

 _For the world will soon know your name_

Akira sighed and blinked slowly. When she turned to look at Kakashi, he was long gone in the stillness of deep sleep. His chest rose with each breath and fell with a gentle exhale. Akira grabbed a throw blanket from the cupboard and draped it over him, which made Kakashi turn to his side and his silver hair fall over his face. The girl chuckled to herself, thinking just how much Sakura would pay for her to describe all the little details of the man's face. His features were fine, perfectly symmetrical, a softness in the eyes and a gentleness in his sleepy smile. Part of Akira wanted to brush the hair away from his eyes, the other was telling her to get a hold of herself, but she knew Kakashi to be a heavy sleeper so the gentle touch of her hand across his face went unnoticed, except by her heart which gave a leap when she looked at his face again.


	124. I'll Show Them Cruelty

The results of Kakuzu's autopsy proved to be more problematic than Akira had anticipated, revealing that Naruto's Jutsu was more dangerous than anyone had imagined. As Akira had predicted the day prior, Lady Tsunade forbade Naruto from using ever again, though she doubted the young ninja would obey her even though he said that he would. However, this was the least of Akira's concern at the moment, as Lady Tsunade had called in Kakashi early in the morning, which effectively woke Akira up considering that she'd fallen asleep on the window sill in Kakashi's home after she'd spent too much time gawking at him. The Hokage was sending Kakashi and herself to lead a team of three and investigate information that the Anbu Black Ops had brought in last night - information about Orochimaru.

The girl was home in seconds, packing all the necessary things and changing into the clothes she'd bought with Sakura and Sai, her new default outfit for missions. However, for some reason Akira didn't transport herself to the main gate, instead she ran through the town, hair whipping behind her head. She came to a sudden stop when Hokage rock came into view, and Akira suspected that this was the reason why she'd decided to run to the edge of the village. Akira stared quite a while at the rocky faces of Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, mentally picturing their sister Takara beside them. She still had no idea what Orochimaru's intentions were when he gave her the scroll and the book... maybe she'd take the time to ask him given the opportunity. Or maybe she'd keep trying to figure it out herself, worried that she'd get sucked back into that mind-numbing state of being in his presence for too long.

Akira's fist clenched at her side and she cursed quietly. There was also that stupid request of Jiraiya's to take into consideration. Tsunade wouldn't have let Akira join this team if she knew what the Toad Sage had asked of her, let alone agreed to do it. That was something of a mystery to even her, as Akira had no clue why she wanted Orochimaru back in the village. It wasn't because of Jiraiya, as they weren't particularly close, nor did she feel obligated to accept his request because he was a Sannin... so the answer had to lie within herself. But what was it? In any case, since Akira had told Jiraiya that she would at least try to fulfill his kid dream, it would greatly influence how she would handle Orochimaru in the near future. Would she attack him still, hold back or attack him at all? If her's and Kakashi's team made contact, then she'd know soon.

With one last stern gaze at the first two Hokage, Akira resumed her dash to the main gate. After running through the crowds of early morning shoppers and vendors, Akira was pleasantly surprised to find out who Tsunade had put together for the team herself and Kakashi would be leading. Without so much as a word, Kiba and Akira nearly attacked each other with a bear hug and cheers of excitement.

"It's my girl Kira!"

"It's my man Kiba!"

"You know, I think I preferred it when they were punching each other as a sign of affection," Hinata told Shino, looking at the two friends in disgust. "This is disturbing."

"Yes, this is indeed disturbing," Shino said.

"You're just jealous, aren't you, Shino?" Kiba barked, grinning from ear to ear, as he and Akira released each other.

"Sure."

"Hey, Akamaru!" Akira said excitedly, crouching down to furiously scratch and pet the ninken. "Do you sit on Kiba's stomach and refuse to leave all the time? You do, don't you? You're such a good boy!"

"He does... How'd you know that?" Kiba asked.

"Because I told him to."

"AKIRA UCHIHA!"

Hinata and Akira laughed at Kiba for a short while, and despite his silence the Uchiha knew that he found Kiba's outraged face amusing. However, the mood went from joyful to serious in a split second when Kakashi appeared before them all. Much like Naruto, Kiba always noticed the way Akira changed when she was going on a mission. But the way she held herself had changed since the last time he saw her go on a mission. There used to be a stiffness in her body and a lust for battle that shone in her eyes. Something rose within her that used to scare Kiba, but now she just looked calm, as if she was used to it. There was no eagerness in her eyes, her body was relaxed and her hands weren't twitching towards her Katana. Kiba had noticed her physical changes upon her return from Sunagakure, but he didn't think that she'd changed this much. What had she gone through in the past three years that had habituated her to violence like this?

"I'm sure you've already heard about our mission," Kakashi said, going to stand beside Akira.

"Yes. It's to pinpoint the hideout that's thought to belong to Orochimaru," Hinata replied.

"With all your abilities, it's shouldn't be too difficult to do."

"I'll get a head start and send out my Parasitic Insects to search out the area where Chakra is in its highest concentration," Shino said.

"Akamaru and I will do the rest," Kiba said, eyes going from Akira to Kakashi. "His nose will pinpoint their hideout."

"Once we find the hideout, I should search for all the enemies in the hideout, right?" Hinata said more as a question than a statement. "If that is really Orochimaru's hideout, the chances that Sasuke's there..."

"They're very high," Akira stated angrily, recalling the events of their last encounter.

"Does Naruto know?"

"No, and it's better that way."

"Everyone ready?" Kakashi asked, to which the young ninja responded with a stiff nod. "Let's go."

The journey was littered with playful banter for the first part of the way, until Akira fell silent and got lost into her thoughts. Maybe the banter continued, but the Uchiha blocked it out, concentrating on everything running through her mind as herself, Kakashi and Team Eight made their way to Orochimaru's presumed hideout.

Akira waited a long time for the sharp pain in her shoulder to rise, signaling Orochimaru's presence nearby. She waited, a certain kind of anticipation coursing in her blood stream, eyes fixated ahead and ignoring Kakashi and Kiba looking at her in concern. They were right to be concerned. The anticipation in her veins was ambiguously rising, neither in a manner that displayed eagerness or dread. Whether Akira wanted to see Orochimaru or not was not yet set in stone even in her own mind, and the growing anxiety slowly began to show through onto her dark knitted eyebrows.

However, the sharp pain she was so used to never came, which meant that Orochimaru wasn't within the girl's proximity. Akira wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not. Kakashi, herself and Team Eight did find a hideout though, but Akira wasn't sure that it belonged to Orochimaru per say. His presence didn't linger here, no matter how high the Chakra concentration was.

Hinata could detect several people inside the hideout, however most of them were dead rather than alive. The team ventured inside the hideout, Kiba first to sniff anything out, with Akira by his side in case something jumped out at him while concentrated on something else. The Uchiha was surprised that Kiba and Akamaru didn't flinch and back away when the rancid smell of death wafted into their noses - even Akira had problems stomaching the smell. But her mind was taken elsewhere when, in the blink of an eye, she was standing in front of Kiba and Akamaru with her Katana drawn. Glowing purple markings retreated from a man before her. Akira narrowed her eyes at one of the variations of Orochimaru's Curse Mark receding from the man's flesh, and when it left his skin the man collapsed, the only thing keeping him alive now gone.

"A Curse Mark!" Kiba gasped, coming right behind Akira.

"No doubt, this is Orochimaru's hideout," Shino stated.

"One of," Akira corrected absent-mindedly, checking the fallen man's pulse. It was gone. "He's dead."

"What the hell happened here?" Kiba asked.

"There are faint traces of Chakra ahead. One... two... six... there are so many!" Hinata said, looking through the cavern walls with her Byakugan.

"Let's go, Kakashi-sensei. We have no time to waste," Shino stated.

"Be wary of traps," Kakashi warned.

The teammates stepped over the dead body and continued down a long dark hallway. Their footsteps echoed and their breathing was loud in their ears. A quiet gasp rang through everyone's ears when Hinata's eyes spotted the dozens of corpses on the ground in front of them. Akira closed her eyes and went down on one knee to recite a short prayer in her head, before returning her gaze to the dead before her.

"What is this!?" Kiba asked, eyes wide.

"Looks like they fought each other," Shino explained.

"A split in the ranks?"

"No... A selection process," Akira said in standing.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"This is how Orochimaru weeds out the weak in his ranks. He has them fight each other, and the strongest, who survive, get the privilege of serving him. It's also how he determines who might withstand the power of his Curse Mark."

"Who made you the Orochimaru expert?" Shino said.

"The fact that I spent vast majority of the Chūnin Exams training under his tutelage as well as the fact that I possess one of his Curse Marks - that's what made me the expert," Akira said coldly as she stared at Shino. "Also Lady Tsunade, considering she would never had sent me with you if I didn't know him so well."

"Why not?"

"Because she's afraid I'll run off and join him."

Shino, Kiba and Hinata gave Akira a strange look, but she ignored it, more focused on the rising voices up ahead. She went to walk towards them, but Akamaru barked loudly signaling that something was off. Within seconds, Kakashi, Akira and Team Eight were back outside the hideout, watching as it disappeared into a giant spiral of water and stone along with the people inside, alive and dead. Akira frowned.

"To think they'd set a trap..." Kiba sighed.

"They didn't. This was time delayed, to remove evidence," Kakashi stated.

"Orochimaru didn't do this," Akira said. "He's not this cautious."

"He has to be if we haven't caught him so far, Kira," Kiba argued.

"I mean - He doesn't eliminate evidence because he knows that we won't find him anyway. He's too cocky to set a trap like this. Someone else did. I suspect one of his higher-ups."

"Whoever it is..." Hinata whispered, "did they have to do it with all those people inside?"

"It is a cruel thing to do," Kakashi sighed.

"Well, whoever it is," Akira said sternly, fists clenching, "I'll show them what cruel really is."


	125. Furious

Akira, Kakashi and Team Eight would have their work cut out for them on this mission. They didn't have to too far for them to notice that. A few kilometers to the east was a narrow trail, and at the end of it was a clearing. Everyone's eyes widened. There were sixteen pink crystals protruding from the ground, each of them containing a person, immobile and likely dead. Gazing at the field of people encased in pink crystal, Akira knew that this was more than just basic Earth-style Jutsu - Orochimaru's follower had a kekkei genkai, and it allowed them to create and manipulate crystal. No wonder they were on Orochimaru's team; he could never let such a rare power flourish out of his sight.

Kakashi sent Pakkun back to Konohagakure with a sample of the crystal, one of Shino's insects encased inside. Then all of a sudden, one by one, all of the crystals containing people shattered, turning them into dust. The wind caught it, and all the glittering dust rose into the air and shone in the low light of the evening. There was a lot less people to deal with now, Akira thought as she examined the ground. The number of footprints in the area were reduced to what Akira and Kiba concluded to be five or six people, a lot less than the initial twenty-something they would have had to fight.

Kakashi instructed everyone to spread out and search, but none of them found any trace of them even by night fall, and they regrouped in a nearby cave to rest for a few hours, or hopefully, the night. Unfortunately for the team, they geared back up after only a few hours of sleep and rest, in which Akira got neither sleep nor rest. Her mind was awake and alert, there was a tenseness in her muscles, worry in her eyes. Anything just could jump out at them, any moment she could see his white skin shining in the moonlight - there was no time for sleep or rest. Not any.

Kakashi, Akira and Team Eight resumed their search, at which point Shino split off from the group to locate the insects that had survived the strange crystal Jutsu. If they'd survived and bred fast enough, then the next generation of Shino's insects would be immune to the crystal and the team would gain a key advantage if they had to fight later on. A few hours in, there was still nothing. Akira couldn't pick up any Chakra signatures in the area and neither could Hinata, and Kiba and Akamaru hadn't found a trail or a scent since the day prior. Only a single bat came in their vicinity, which alerted Hinata, but it left after a few moments of perching. It was Akamaru's sudden stop a few moments after that caught everyone's attention.

"A dog whistle?" Kakashi questioned.

"Right," Kiba said. "Akamaru said he definitely heard it."

"Do you think the enemy has a dog?" Hinata asked.

"I doubt it," Akira said. "Kiba and Akamaru would have picked up on another dog by now."

"Yeah, she's right. A dog's scent is much harder to remove than a human's," Kiba explained.

"Then... why the dog whistle?" Hinata muttered.

"Do you know which direction it came from?" Kakashi asked.

"No, but it wasn't far away if Akamaru heard it. Dog whistles don't have a wide range," Kiba said.

"The bat!" Akira gasped. "Kiba, bats use the same high frequency to communicate that is used for dog whistles, right?"

"Really? You think the enemy is controlling a bat?" Kiba said, deadpan.

"It makes sense," Kakashi said, making Kiba look from Akira to him with a funny expression. "If the ordeal at the hideout was a selection like you said, then our enemy is sure to have odd Jutsu like this. The crysals are proof enough."

"Well, we need to find one of those bats then," Hinata said.

"We don't have Shino, but I guess this should be enough for now."

Akira performed a few hand seals and bit her thumb, then she spread the bead of blood on her left arm to activate her Jutsu. The second her Jutsu was complete, Akira was surrounded by at least a dozen snakes no bigger than her forearm. A few of them slithered up her legs and reached her arms, beady eyes staring into her own. The Uchiha whispered to them in what sounded like a foreign tongue to the rest of her team, and then they all slithered back down into the shadows and others up trees.

"You know, I hate to admit it, but those slimy things suit you," Kiba said, face showing a little revulsion.

"They're smooth, not slimy," Akira said with a roll of her eyes.

"See? You're defending them. Point made."

"Don't make me bring Shiro out."

"Okay, okay!" Kakashi chuckled awkwardly. "How long until they get back to you, Akira?"

"A long time if they have to slither around all the time," Kiba said, crossing his arms. "And they have no noses."

"I'll have you know that snakes have a sense of smell that's just as good as a ninja hound and they can feel vibrations in anything that they touch. And since snakes smell with their tongues, which touches the air directly, it'll probably find the flying bat faster than any dog can," Akira said, glaring at Kiba. "So, I'd say an hour, tops. And that's pushing it."

"If its so fast, then why didn't you bring them out earlier?"

"Kiba, I don't know what your problem is but you better snap out of it fast," Akira growled.

"My problem is that you're using Orochimaru's Jutsu like its nothing! Like everything that he did never happened!"

"Me using his Jutsu and the destruction he has caused have nothing to do with each other, Kiba. I use his Jutsu because I was taught them, and they just so happen to be useful."

"And who's to say that while you were training with him, you weren't giving information!?"

Akira stopped all movement and blinked stupidly at Kiba.

"You really think that I'd let that happen? You really think that I'd let information about my village leak out?" Akira whispered. "You forget that it is his village too. He knows it like the back of his hand, just as he knows the Hokage; Lord Third was his teacher, the Fifth his partner. He didn't need me to get information, Kiba. He knows how they think, how they'd manage a crisis, how they would deploy their forces. He knows because he's lived it.

"And even if he did need me for information, I'm not so stupid as to give it to him. I knew from the start of my training with him that he wasn't to be trusted, that I could never speak of him to anyone, or speak to him of anyone or anything other than the things he was teaching me. He was dangerous. I knew that even before I knew of his true identity. What you've got to understand, Kiba, is that Konohagakure, and the people who live there, they're all that I've got left. You realise that, right? You realise that I've got no family left at all, I've barely got friends left who support me through and through - hell, the only reason I even have a home is because I rebuilt it. So, don't come to me and accuse me of betraying something I vowed to protect. Something I vowed to protect, in front of my brother, years before he the thought of murdering his entire clan came to mind.

"Knowledge is knowledge, Kiba. No matter how it was obtained. And if I can use it for the better of my village and its people, then I will," Akira stated, eyes filled with fury. "I don't care if I get it from Kakashi, from Orochimaru, Sakura or the Akatsuki. What matters is how I use the knowledge, and I don't think you see me stealing bodies to use them as vessels for reincarnation, do you?"

"Akira, I-"

"Save it. I'm not even angry, just disappointed," Akira sighed. "We've wasted enough time."

"Right," Kakashi said, looking at Akira with an unreadable expression. "Let's get moving."

"It's just - you've come back different," Kiba said all of a sudden, bringing Akira to a stop. "When Kai died, I thought I'd lost you. That you'd just shut down and refuse to do anything. But you didn't even cry... You were just gone, emotionally, and I barely saw you after that. And then you left for Suna and I thought that when you came back you'd be better. That things could go back to the way they were...

"When I first saw you after three years, you were laughing and smiling again, and you stopped talking in that weird contraction-less speech pattern, and for a while I thought the old Akira was back. The one that Kai, Shikamaru and I used to train with or skip classes with, the Akira who used to be an annoying optimist like Naruto and refused to be sad about anything. I was so hopeful...

"But you got your approval for Chūnin missions and kept having mission after mission, and when you had some down time you spent it with Kakashi or home alone to train. Your friends and your team started getting worried about you, that you were straining yourself, hell even Lady Tsunade was getting worried. And then you went on your first mission with Sai and Yamato, and Sakura told us everything about how you used your Curse Mark, how you overpowered Naruto in his Nine-Tails state...

"You came back from Suna a different person, Akira. The happy-go-lucky you was just a facade, wasn't it? You came back from Suna after using his Jutsu for three years, you came back after using his Curse Mark for three years, tweaking it, improving it. I remember you saying that you never wanted to use it, that you weren't going to use it unless you had no other choice. And now look at you - using its power and his Jutsu as if they were your own! This is just... its not the Akira I know."

Akira sighed, and her entire body relaxed. She stared up at the sky, and for a long while she gazed at the twinkling stars, mind free of thought, and silently wishing that she could be as peaceful as they were.

"I went to Sunagakure for a reason," Akira said, voice stern, the complete opposite of her body. "I left for Gaara, but also for myself. If I was in Suna, and a Chūnin of Suna, I no longer had any affiliation to the Leaf Village. That was essential. I wanted to rebuild myself. Rebuild myself after all the hardship and torture that my mind, body and soul had gone through these past years."

The Uchiha turned towards Kiba, and there was a look in her eyes that he didn't quite like. Her face didn't hold any emotion, but her eyes held defiance, or a sort of confidence that worried him. He'd never seen her this way, and he never wanted to see it again, but this was the look of a girl who'd grown up too fast, who'd seen death before she'd seen love.

"Pain changes people, Kiba. And I felt so much of it that I started to feel nothing," Akira said, looking down.

She held out her hands, and her pale skin shone in the moonlight. They were still scarred, even after all this time, and Akira could tell the story of each of these scars, the events that created each and every one of them still clear in her mind.

"My hands are scarred with evil, with darkness, with blood and with murder... but I just wanted to do something... to change something... because these hands will be scarred forever, but I wanted my friends to trust them regardless. So, I trained, and I delved deeper into the evil I promised never to use, because my hands couldn't get any more scarred than they already are, and because evil is, above all else, seductive. And if I couldn't resist, then I wouldn't, and I would take my darkness, take the blood and the murder, and I'd be at peace with it.

"So, I turned the pain into power, the evil into an attempt at good... but it didn't really work to be honest. Instead, well... I just came back even more furious than before."


	126. Down By The Lake

It was morning, and the snakes that Akira had sent to find the bats used by the enemy had returned a few hours prior to whisper good news in Akira's ears. They set off again, travelling in one direction until the sun came up. It was Akamaru's growls that caused them to halt and Kakashi to send Akira into the position she was most useful. After all these training sessions and missions together, it didn't take Kakashi more than a glance to tell Akira what to do. She used all of her camouflaging techniques to hide herself in the nearby bushes. Even in the light of the morning, Kakashi's keen eyes wouldn't be able to discern her. And she listened, and she watched, red Sharingan eyes analyzing all the movements and Jutsu of her enemy as they attacked.

A larger man went for Kakashi immediately, discerning him as the leader of the team. He possessed a considerable amount of strength, and much like the Akimichi Clan, he was able to expand his arms and legs to deliver more powerful strikes. By condensing his body size he could also increase his speed and more effectively use the Earth-style Jutsu he was proficient with. The other four remained by Kiba and Hinata, and stood up in the trees as to avoid a close-combat fight, all except one. It looked like he had a blue suit made of a special material, which somehow prevented Hinata's Gentle Fist Technique of working. He was also exceptional in taijutsu, able to stretch, flatten and curve every inch of body in any way he wanted. A smoke screen came from the man wearing a gas mask, and it dulled Kiba and Akamaru's senses, however it didn't dull the power of the Byakugan or the Sharingan. Another man, who was short in stature and had grey skin, had a large contraption that looked like a flare gun.

Before Akira could get a sense of what he and the last enemy could do, the last man, who seemed to be the leader of this motley crew, panicked and ordered a retreat just as Shino returned from his search. Kakashi returned to the group a little battered, and barely glanced in Akira's direction as to not give away her position. She listened to her team as they exchanged information about their opponents, and learned that the next generation of Shino's parasitic insects had been born, which gave them an advantage towards the enemy Akira was watching out for the most. The crystal Jutsu user still hadn't shown up, and Akira knew that Kakashi ordered her to watch for this specifically.

The team moved forward a bit and Akira left their side to investigate their surroundings. It was eerily quiet, not even the sound of her own footsteps reaching her ears. Akira suddenly felt a presence to her left, but when she turned there was no one there. However, up ahead, at the top of a cliff was a woman with pale blue hair. From this distance, Akira could tell that she was performing Jutsu, and when a crystal flower burst from the ground beside her, Akira knew that this was the woman she was looking for.

All of a sudden, the small flower burst into a large red crystal and a giant wall of crystal in the same colour rose from the ground and into the sky, until it suddenly disappeared into the light. The only thing Akira could see now was her own reflection in what looked like thin air. The Uchiha pulled out a kunai and hesitantly poked at the crystal. Thankfully, the barrier didn't react to any kind of outside stimuli, which meant that it could be taken down with brute force. However, with a molecular structure this dense, it would a lot of power to take it down. Akira was about to do it herself when the barrier simply crumbled after a large blast. She looked back to where she left her team and she hoped that that blast didn't injure any of them.

The woman atop the cliff was gone by the time the barrier had fallen, and she saw the same group of ninja that had attacked earlier jump down and follow to wherever the woman was going. Akira meant to follow as well, but a shiver ran down her spine and delayed her as she sensed someone's Chakra in the area. Her team was long forgotten as she stared deep into the woods, kunai still held firmly in her hand. A slight sense of fear rose within her, but she didn't let it overcome her. There was no way she was letting Kabuto scare her like this. Instead, she merely followed him, still perfectly camouflaged, though she doubted she could keep herself hidden from Kabuto indefinitely. However, he didn't suspect anything as Akira followed him a fair distance away and watched him as he met up with the crystal Jutsu user and her motley crew of lackeys. There was a boy with them this time, most likely told to stay back at their poor excuse of a hideout, and didn't seem to be in danger. He seemed rather happy to see the woman return to him, so Akira figured he wasn't someone to be saved immediately from them.

Akira followed them discretely as they all made their way towards the edge of a lake. The trees were veiled in the thickest of mists, their trunks sombre with cracks were made all the darker by the shadows of the fog. As Akira's eyes traveled to the edge of the woods they became silhouettes against a blanket of white, as if it was daylight only where she stood, and encircled by darkness. It forced Akira to use her Sharingan to discern fog from foe, which made her realise that they were splitting up into two groups. Four of them were heading out onto the lake; Akira could tell Kabuto, the kid, the woman and the big man who fought Kakashi earlier formed this group. The other four remained on the lake's edge, seemingly complaining about not being included.

Akira left the lakeside behind and eased her way into the cold water of the lake. It was like a winter's chill, but Akira welcomed it, like this water was her second skin, and she propelled herself forward to catch up with the small boat containing numerous enemies. Eventually, Akira's face quietly broke the surface and she could breathe again. A few feet away, Kabuto was handing the kid some sort of helmet which he put on, and then what looked like small pills - a handful of them. Akira frowned. If those were anything like the Awakening Pills she took, then that kid would die. However, Akira didn't do anything, instead she watched as the woman summoned five crystal pillars from the depths of the lake.

All of a sudden, the young boy began to scream, and a giant column of pale blue Chakra rose from him and into the sky. Akira dove underwater and created an air bubble around her mouth and nose. As the waves crashed over her, Akira watched them sway above her for several minutes before she was taken by a sudden nauseating sensation. The girl felt faint for a few seconds, but she rapidly came back to reality when she began breathing in water. Panic set inside her. She knew this feeling all to well. It was the same feeling Akira got when the Akatsuki summoned the giant statue that was used to extract Shukaku from Gaara.

Slowly, Akira watched something rise from the depths of the lake. It was like a giant turtle, sharp spikes littering its body. Three shrimp-like tails protruded from the back of the creature, and they moved slightly as it waded upwards. Underneath its shell was a red muscle-like tissue, and hidden behind more spikes were crimson and yellow eyes that stared directly at Akira for a few moments. The girl's breath hitched in her throat, fear rising within her. The Three-Tails had been lost since the Third Shinobi World War, and now she found it... free?

However, the creature didn't linger on her for too long. It rose to the surface and Akira followed. She knew that it hadn't properly seen her as it seemed to be moderately controlled by the child's release of Chakra. That kid was the key to bringing him out of hiding. Why was it was free, though? Why didn't it have a jinchuuriki? Did that mean the kid was like her? Did he have a strange affinity to the Tailed Beasts as well? But it didn't seem like it, because as soon the Chakra faded the young boy passed out, returning the Beast to its senses.

It's growl reverberated in Akira's ears like a clap of thunder and sent a shockwave at her and the others on the boat. Akira ducked underwater as everyone on the boat went flying. When she returned to the surface, Kabuto was holding the unconscious child, the woman was standing a ways away from him and the large lackey was only just reaching the surface of the water.

"Guren! Stop this beast immediately!" Kabuto shouted.

"Stop being so bossy!" the woman shouted as she ran forward towards the beast.

She attempted to restrain it with crystals, but they shattered under its weight. She then created Shuriken made of crystal and shot them at the Beast, but they simply broke on impact without leaving so much as a scratch.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed!? Contain the Three-Tails or we all die!" Kabuto shouted.

"Large-scale Jutsu need preparations, you idiot!"

Guren dashed forward making hand seals, but the Beast saw her hands moving and dashed towards her as well. The large lackey grabbed one of the three tails on the beast to slow him down, which allowed Guren to use an enormous Jutsu that encased the Three-Tails inside pink crystals. It took a toll on her though, as the large man had to help her back to Kabuto.

In this mist, Kabuto wouldn't be able to see her. She cursed at herself for her actions, but Akira needed to see for herself. Slowly she rose out of the water and quietly made her way towards the Beast. Its one open eye gently swerved in her direction and it stared at her as the girl softly placed her hand on the crystal encasing the creature.

"Is this where you've been all this time?" Akira whispered.

She looked towards the Three-Tails' head, and the open eye blinked slowly as an answer. The two of them stared at each other for a short while, until the Beast saw something behind Akira. In mere moments, the crystal surrounding it was breaking and falling into the water. Akira ran back a few feet, just as the last bit of crystal detached itself from the spiky creature. It roared louder than before, and a wave four times its height rose into the air towards Akira, and the others behind her. The girl concentrated as much Chakra as she could and pointed one hand forward and one hand backwards, parting the water so that it flew on either side of her. But the Tailed-Beast roared again and a second wave came, this time knocking Akira backwards. She swirled in the dark waters for what seemed like forever, unable to regain control of her body, until everything faded to black.


	127. Succeed

_Standing on a wide stony track, Akira could feel the breeze lift her hair around her. In the distance, she could see it move his hair too. She didn't think it would since he only ever visited at night, when the skies were calm and eerily quiet, weather to suit his persona. After the first few times, Akira thought that he wouldn't come back, but he did... and Akira, in whatever subconscious, began to see him changing. Or maybe these visits were dulling her sense of danger. But he felt like less of a vicious viper every time they saw each other._

 _The wind was somewhat cooling, refreshing in combination with sunshine. Akira never thought there could be sunlight in this Forest of Death, never did she think to see him underneath the sun. The sun's rays were strong today, almost a kiss of summer to them, and Akira half thought that he'd hide in the shadows and away from the light, but just like her he stood in the illuminated parts of the forest, staring up at the cloudless sky. He looked just as comfortable in the sun's glow than in the moon's twilight._

 _"Another few minutes and you would have been late, Akira," he said calmly, looking over to the girl in question._

 _"Sorry, it's not easy to get Kai, Kiba and Shikamaru off my trail," she said apologetically. "Usually I hang out with them this time of day, so it's weird that I'm going off for training."_

 _"It's the Chūnin Exams, my dear, they should know training is more important."_

 _"Yeah, I know," Akira sighed, though she brightened up immediately. "So, what're we training for today? More snakes, some Tai Chi, Curse Mark control or maybe even some Kinjutsu!"_

 _"I can't teach you Kinjutsu, my dear, those are forbidden techniques," Orochimaru said._

 _"Can't teach them, my ass. There's one on my shoulder and you're teaching me about it."_

 _"Maybe I should stop."_

 _Akira gave the man a deadpan look and rolled her eyes at him. He chuckled lightly._

 _"Today I just want to talk to you about something. It shouldn't take long, and you can return to your friends after."_

 _"Oh, all right, then."_

 _Akira went down a few stones and sat by a small brook than ran through the forest, Orochimaru sat down beside her._

 _"Remember where I told you we summon our snakes from?"_

 _"The Ryūchi Cave, right?"_

 _"Indeed. It's one of the big three unexplored Sage regions, a legendary place that's equally as famous as the other two. Mount Myoboku is where Jiraiya summons his toads from, and Shikkotsu Forest is where Tsunade summons her slugs from."_

 _"Slugs? That's disgusting," Akira said, pulling a face._

 _"Quite, though they are still powerful," Orochimaru chuckled._

 _"Have you ever been to the Ryūchi Cave, Maru-sama?"_

 _"I have, yes. And I met the sacred White Snake Sage, too."_

 _"Is that where you got the scroll to summon snakes?" Akira asked, to which the man nodded in acknowledgement. "Woah! What else did you learn there!?"_

 _"Many things, my dear. Though I must admit that there was one thing I never got the hang of, and most likely never will," Orochimaru said, sounding almost disappointed. "That's why, when you're ready, I want you to succeed for me."_

 _Akira looked at her teacher, eyebrows furrowed._

 _"How do you expect me to succeed where you have failed, Maru-sama? That would be to surpass you."_

 _"Akira, my dear, you will surpass me with greater speed than you think."_

 _"You really think so?"_

 _"I know so."_

 _The girl gave a smile so unexpectedly bright that Orochimaru smiled a little himself. So pleased was she to know that her teacher believed in her this way._

 _"So, what do I do? When the time is right, of course."_

 _"You have to journey to the Ryūchi Cave, first. It takes only a few days from Hidden Leaf, and you only need to want to find it to find it. No one can venture inside aimlessly," Orochimaru said, and as he spoke Akira became so engrossed in his words that everything around her began to disappear. "The entire cave is made of a rare kind of limestone and because its so big, there are wetlands inside almost as far as the eye can see._

 _"You'll have to be careful though. While you can enter if you wish it, you must be willing to sacrifice anything in return for knowledge. There will no way of learning anything unless you pass three trials as well, and those are notoriously annoying as I recall. Should you fail, expect death. If you're still alive and passed all three trials... then you are free learn the Power of the White Snake."_

 _"Did you pass the trials, Maru-sama?" Akira asked, ignoring the growing darkness around her field of vision._

 _"Yes, I did," Orochimaru said, almost completely disappeared. "However, I was not able to learn the White Snake's power in its entirety. That is where I failed, and where you will succee-"_

The darkness that surrounded her vision suddenly disappeared as Akira's eyes opened onto the familiar fog of the lake which contained the Three-Tails. She was soaked to the bone and shivering, and noted that she would get sick if she didn't find Kakashi and the others. Akira stood quickly, which made her head spin and she fell back to her knees. The Uchiha sighed loudly, annoyed at herself for getting into this mess and dreaming of things that need not be dreamt of. Akira pulled all the water out of her clothes and hair then whipped it in whatever direction her arms went. She took a deep breath and stood more slowly this time, then gazed at her surroundings to find anything vaguely familiar.

"Shit," she muttered to herself. "Definitely lost."

Akira closed her eyes and performed a few hand seals then placed her hand on a nearby tree. In seconds, everything that had Chakra lit up into a tiny coloured flame. Around the lake she spotted many people, but none which she recognised, save Kabuto. Towards her left and deeper into the forest however, Akira spotted many little blue flames of Chakra that she'd seen before. There were a lot more than she expected - Kakashi had probably called for backup, and now Yamato, Sakura, Sai, Naruto, Ino, Lee, Tenten and Shizune were here as well. No doubt they were all here to help contain and seal the Three-Tails.

The Uchiha took a shaky step forward, then another and another, until she'd moved fast enough to begin reheating her body naturally. Her teeth still chattered and her lips were still blue, but at least Akira was beginning to regain feeling in her hands and feet. She had an easier time getting around when the fog began to diminish and she could finally see more than two feet ahead of her, and then it wasn't hard to spot what Yamato deemed suitable for camping. The large house he'd created on their first mission together had returned, and Akira could already feel the warmth radiating off of it. Then voices from inside became clear.

"But... the Tailed-Beast has a huge amount of Chakra, right?" she heard Kiba say. "I don't see how we can put a seal on it."

"Yes. It will take an extremely delicate amount of Chakra control and concentration," Shizune's voice said. "Ino, Sakura, you're both training in Medical Ninjustu, so your experience will be very valuable. And Hinata, your ability to control and pinpoint Chakra is very important, as seen with your usage of the Gentle Fist. We can't forget that seeing Chakra with your Byakugan is a valuable asset to us, as well."

"And you've got me," Akira said, sliding the house's door open. "The Tailed-Beast whisperer."

"Akira!"

It was a collective shout of her name, but the first person by her side looking worried beyond belief was Kakashi. Akira wondered how long he'd been like this.

"Sorry to have worried you all," she chuckled, mildly embarrassed. "I got caught by the huge wave and passed out."

"You're freezing," Kakashi noted, placing his hand to Akira's forehead.

"Yeah, I also might have a mild case of hypothermia."

Sakura sighed and nearly face-palmed at the girl's casual mention of hypothermia, but spent the next ten minutes, alongside Kakashi, getting her blankets and warm food regardless. Then the planning for the next day resumed as if nothing had happened.

"Since Akira is back, she'll also be part of the Sealing team, considering her unique ability to suppress the Chakra of the Nine-Tails," Shizune said. "We're hoping that you'll be able to do the same to the Three-Tails when the time comes."

"Got it," Akira said with a nod.

"Wait, wait, wait! All the girls are on the Sealing team except Tenten," Naruto said. "Why wasn't Tenten chosen for it?"

"The rest of you will work under Yamato and I to provide protection," Kakashi said from beside Akira. "I'm sure you've already thought about it... But those guys who are after the Three-Tails won't just sit back and watch while we finish sealing the Beast. They're bound to attack."

"Those guys with the Crystal-style user," Kiba scoffed, annoyed.

"Bring it on!" Lee said, way too excited.

"How are we teaming up for this?" Tenten asked.

"Hm, about that... I have an idea," Kakashi said contemplatively.

"Well? Just tell us already!" Naruto complained.

"The most critical part of this battle is to stop the Crystal-style user. However, if we all confront her, the Sealing team won't have protection. So, I'm thinking of splitting up this team into two, with one team focusing on her," Kakashi explained. "Naruto, Sai, Shino - you three will work under me to fight the Crystal-style user."

"Guren," Akira said. "Her name is Guren."

Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement.

"As for the rest... Yamato, Kiba, Lee and Tenten, you guys take care of them."

"Understood," Yamato said.

"Akira, what did you learn about the enemy on your scouting mission?" Shino asked.

"Guren is a real pain," Akira said sarcastically. "Her Jutsu allows anything to be crystallised and she's got the Chakra reserves to encase the Three-Tails in crystal, though it takes a toll on her. She's fast, thinks quickly - you'll have your hands full with her.

"As for the other five, I'm not too sure. The big one that Kakashi fought earlier was able to restrain the Three-Tails with brute force, and he enlarge parts of his body or make them smaller to either make him faster or stronger. He's also capable of Earth-style, so I'd watch out for him.

"The weird one with the blue suit seems to have undergone physical modifications that allow his body to bend and stretch in unusual ways. Because of this, it's likely that he can fight at any range or shift his body structure to avoid having internal organs or Chakra points damaged. His body suit seems to made of or covered in a strange slime. That reminds me of Izumo's syrup Jutsu, which means this enemy probably uses some form of Water-style that involves this slime.

"The midget with glasses carries what looks like an arm or wrist mounted rocket launcher, and it seems to be his key component in battle. Other than creating smoke with it, I'm not sure what he can do, but the smoke bombs are thick and were able to obscure Kiba and Akamaru's sense of sight and smell, so he can probably do something else with the smoke.

"Same thing goes for the guy in the gas mask. However, his smoke was different - at least it seemed different to me. I use a similar type of smoke for a few Fire-style techniques, so I wouldn't be surprised if he knew some as well.

"Lastly is the guy with the bats. I'm nearly certain he is their leader, and they all follow his orders pretty well, except for the big one Kakashi fought - he seems reluctant of him. I don't know what he can do other than use bats for scouting and gathering information. However, since he uses sound waves to communicate with his bats, it's safe to assume that he can weaponise it as well, much like Dosu - the Sound Village ninja who attacked us before the first part Chūnin Exams even started. If he can weaponise sound, be wary of your ears and your mind.

"Also, for those who weren't there when we found the original hideout - these guys were force to survive and kill each other to get out of the hellhole they were in. They'll do anything in their power to survive. And considering this was a selection process for Orochimaru... don't be surprised if they grace us with the power of a Curse Mark, as well..."


	128. Come Forth, Rairyū

It was like the birds weren't aware of the battle to come. They sung their happy song as the sun began to rise and the crickets began to sleep. Everyone in the house Yamato has constructed was engulfed in tense silence, hyper-aware of the implications of what they were walking into. Despite this, the sun rose and painted the sky with a brilliant blue colour. Upon the petals of flowers and leaves of trees sat a hundred beads of water, each one a perfect sphere, brilliant in the morning rays. Soon the gentle heat of the morning will evaporate them, but by then the Leaf Shinobi would be knee deep in an immensely important battle.

Yamato and his squad were ready, all standing straight in front of the house and underneath the sun's rays. Kakashi's team was ready as well, and even Naruto's face was serious, eyes dead set on the horizon. Shizune's Sealing team was ready as well, and on her back was the giant scroll that they would need to Seal the Three-Tails. Akira and Kakashi looked at each other at the same time, as if by instinct, and they nodded serenely to each other, a silent message demanding that they each remain safe. Then they departed in sync, their footfalls as quiet as they could be.

The fog had lifted since the last time they were by the lake, and Akira could see all the way to the other side of it. A deep sense of serenity overcame her as she stared at the expanse of blue that lay before her. Rays of lights danced delicately across the water, birthed from the morning sun that both limited her sight and made the view all the more beautiful. However, she was quickly brought back to reality by both Yamato's and Kakashi's teams leaving the lakeside to assume their positions, then by Shizune who stepped before her, Sakura, Hinata and Ino.

"Let's get started!" Shizune said.

The girls nodded in response. Shizune then took the scroll off her back and laid it on the ground, unrolling it so that the Sealing Jutsu upon it was visible.

"We will proceed with the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier. First, we'll locate the Three-Tails, and Akira will subdue it while we proceed with the Sealing Jutsu," Shizune explained. "Now, you all remember the hand seals I taught you?"

"Yeah, we do," Sakura said.

"Then let's do it."

Hinata, Sakura, Ino and Shizune each pulled out a smaller scroll and positioned themselves at each corner of the giant scroll on the ground. They rolled out the smaller ones in front of them and performed a few simple hand seals, bit their thumbs and spread a line of their blood onto their scrolls.

"Four-Corner Sealing Barrier, Search!"

They each slammed their hands on the center of their scrolls and held up the Seal of Confrontation, concentrating all their efforts into Chakra control. The giant scroll suddenly began to glow blue, and then the center of it began to rise in the form of what looked like a net. Hinata, Sakura, Ino and Shizune's hands, which were previously placed on the small scrolls, rose up with it until the net floated above their heads and they stood with it.

"This should do for now," Shizune said. "We'll maintain the Chakra balance, and slowly enlarge the opening. If the Three-Tails is below the barrier, we'll get a reaction. Ready?"

"Wait a minute, if we continue such delicate Chakra control and the enemy appears... Akira is strong, but won't we have to join in to fight?" Sakura asked.

"You won't have to fight, Sakura," Akira said confidently. "Just concentrate on your Chakra control. If it comes to it, I can fight on my own, but there are our comrades as well who won't let anything get in our way of sealing the Three-Tails."

"Understood."

Akira and Sakura smiled and nodded at each other. Sakura had faith in Akira, and Akira believed in Kakashi and the others. They wouldn't let anything happen to them under any circumstances.

Slowly, the five women made their way onto the lake, carefully keeping the barrier active to search for the Three-Tails. Gradually the barrier grew as Hinata, Ino, Sakura and Shizune pulled apart, extending the reach of the search. Akira kept a lookout on their surroundings, making sure that the fighting remained close to the lake's edge rather than its center as to not disrupt the Jutsu. She sensed people nearby, most likely watching, but Akira didn't have the luxury of going off to search for them and take them out.

Akira was slowly feeling more and more dizzy the closer to the lake's center they got. She knew they were getting close, until all of a sudden, the barrier above the five women flashed red.

"Directly below us," Hinata said.

"Akira, you're up," Shizune stated. "Don't worry, the seal won't have any effect on you."

Akira nodded and went to the center of the barrier. She closed her eyes and when they reopened, the three tomoe Sharingan was visible in her eyes. In the blink of an eye, Akira released the Chakra from her feet and quietly sunk into the water, creating a bubble of air around her mouth and nose as each became submerged. Floating downwards, Akira's senses were altered; the sounds were lazy and gentle. It was truly a different world; she was as free as a bird in the sky, but she had a job to do. Akira turned on herself and swam downwards, an occasional lone fish standing by, until the familiar spiky shell of the Three-Tailed Beast came into view.

It didn't move when it saw her. Only its one open eye moved to follow her movements, and followed her as she approached. Akira needed to get into its subconscious, just like she'd done with Naruto, and she needed to be there long enough to prevent the Three-Tails from realising that the barrier was slowly sinking down around it. Akira was surprised to find that the creature wasn't attacking, and didn't attack once her hand was placed upon its head. Staring into its eye, Akira felt everything around her disappear, and then she reappeared in an underground lake. The water was turquoise in colour and small shafts of light illuminated the cave in which the Three-Tails and Akira now were.

"You have the eyes of an enemy I once knew," the Beast said softly. "Yet I don't fear you."

"That's good. I'm not here to hurt you," Akira said in an equally gentle tone.

"Then why are you here?"

"To talk. I was wondering why you didn't attack me yesterday."

"You're familiar."

"Like the enemy you spoke of?"

"No... Like a friend. Only your eyes remind me of Madara Uchiha."

Akira's eyebrows furrowed. It knew Madara Uchiha? As an enemy?

"I'm one of his descendants," Akira said. "I am Akira Uchiha."

"My name is Isobu," the Three-Tails replied.

"Tell me, Isobu, why am I familiar to you?"

"You have similar Chakra to someone I once knew, and Chakra similar to myself and my brothers."

"What do you mean?"

All of a sudden Isobu's head turned upwards and Akira was ripped away from his subconscious. She reawakened in the lake, her air bubble gone and Isobu swimming towards the surface. Akira's eyes widened and she recreated an air supply. The barrier had been disrupted. Someone was interfering above the water. Akira swam upwards, but Isobu broke the barrier and the water's surface before she could intervene. He let out a cry that resonated inside and outside the water, and unleashed an immeasurable amount of Chakra into the air. Akira grabbed her head in pain. It was like someone was hammering into her skull for the entire duration of Isobu's cries.

When she broke the surface, the barrier was completely gone, broken by Isobu. Akira looked around, her head barely poking out of the water. Guren and her lackeys' leader were there. On the other side of Isobu, the Sealing team as well as Tenten, Lee, Shino, Naruto and two of his summoning toads were there. Guren and her subordinate made a run for it, the seal broken and their objective complete, but Shino attempted to stop them with his insects. However, the subordinate send paperbombs attached to kunai towards them and they exploded right beside Isobu.

Akira cursed. Explosions would only make things worse and agitate the beast. As predicted, the creature sent two giant blasts of water on either side of him, attacking both Guren's side and the side of her village's ninja. Moving swiftly, Akira rose out of the water and placed herself between the giant ball of water and her team. She concentrated her Chakra in her hands and when the water was close enough, she used all of her strength to part the water bomb on either side of her. The sound was deafening, like two waterfalls were rushing past each of her ears, and the force she was using the cut the water was more than she'd ever used in her lifetime.

"Akira!" Naruto cheered.

The girl barely heard Naruto. She was concentrated on Isobu who was staring at the top of a cliff nearby. A little wave of panic rose through her. Atop said cliff was the little boy she'd seen earlier, the one that the Leaf Village Shinobi were supposed to protect in case they saw him. At the bottom of the cliff was Guren, apparently passed out. Her subordinate was nowhere to be seen. Isobu made a b-line for the boy, which sent another giant wave of water towards the Konoha ninja, but this time Akira had no time to stop it. Instead, she rose water across her feet and surfed as fast as she could in the same direction Isobu was heading. The boy, seeing Guren unconscious, apparently lost it, and his Chakra poured out of him again which effectively stopped Isobu from harming the woman.

Akira watched the boy yell for Guren, and she now understood what Naruto meant when he said that Yuukimaru thought Guren was 'the place he can return to'. He was protecting her with everything he had, but it didn't last long enough. The boy began to weaken and Guren jumped up to catch him, which returned Isobu to his angered state. He attack Yuukimaru and Guren several times before the boy managed to regain control, however this time it was heightened by the fact that Guren was dying. Her subordinate had returned and discretely stabbed her with a kunai. Akira didn't know what was going on, but she knew that she had to protect Yuukimaru, and when his Chakra reserves were this low the only way of doing that was to get him out of the area. But she didn't think he'd leave that easily. Naruto might have though that Yuukimaru was mistaken, that Guren was just using the boy, but judging by her actions, Akira didn't agree. Despite bleeding out, Guren jumped in to get Yuukimaru back onto the shoreline as Isobu destroyed the cliff they were standing on. She even was so far as to put him in a cocoon of crystal to protect him, and jumped back onto the water to draw Isobu's fire away from him.

Without a second thought, Akira jumped in to help her. Regardless if they were enemies, both of them had the same goal - to protect Yuukimaru at all costs. Akira glided around Isobu, curving her body so that she leaned in the right direction to end up beside Guren. The woman went to attack her, but she stopped all of a sudden, staring at something around the Uchiha's neck. It was the camellia necklace that Kakashi had gifted her three years ago, and it gleamed in the sunlight much like the one she'd crystalised for Yuukimaru.

"That necklace..." she muttered, staring at Akira.

"Now's not the time to talk about jewelry, Guren. We need to subdue Isobu! Drawing his fire isn't enough to distract him from the boy!" Akira shouted, her hands moving rapidly through hand seals.

Thunder and lightning began to crack above their heads, the beginnings of a storm brewing. In mere seconds, everything had darkened, and the sky swirled with clouds the colour of night.

"When I say jump, jump."

"Wha- Who are you!?"

"The girl who saved Yuukimaru's life," Akira said with a smirk, her hands landing in a final hand seal. "Now jump, Guren, and come forth, Rairyū!"


	129. The Same Feeling

It happened faster than in the blink of an eye.

The boom rolled across the valley, announcing the start of what the brooding cloud layer had promised. The boughs of the trees swayed in the strengthening gust, surrendering their leaves without a fight. Then came the first drops of rain like bullets to a rooftop. It was dark, the dense grey cloud blocking out the light, casting everyone below in premature twilight. On the far hills and above Guren and Akira, a jagged bolt of white hot lightening split the chilly sky, and then it was gone. The thunder was only a second behind and while Akira held an confident smirk, Guren was gaunt, sending Akira tense glances. Then came the banging like someone was taking a sledgehammer to the roof of a house, and in time with the noise a few shafts of weary light marked shadows on the womens' faces.

"Jump Guren, and come forth Rairyū!"

The Jutsu was completed the second Guren and Akira's feet left the water's surface. The Uchiha rose her hand to the air and concentrated the lightning in the sky to form the unmistakable head of a dragon. Just like the thunder, it roared as it came flying to the ground, following the movement of Akira's arm. It's head came from the darkened clouds, and a long white and electric body followed with it, tearing straight for the waters below. It hit just in front of Isobu. The water electrified itself for a split second, but it was long enough for its heat to evaporate some of the lake water on contact as well as stun the Three-Tailed Beast.

"Now, Guren! Aim for the eyes!"

Though still in shock, Guren obeyed and rose into the air. She encased herself in a prism of crystal which hovered in the air. She focused Chakra in the tip of the prism and launched what she called an arrow at it. It hit Isobu directly in his open eye, which forced him to close it and be temporarily blinded. Then, out of nowhere, Naruto arrived with a clone and shot a Giant Rasengan into Isobu's face, causing him to shriek and retreat to the waters below. Guren sighed and returned to stick a landing between Naruto and Akira.

"You're pretty good," Naruto commented, though he sounded annoyed. "But now I'm gonna settle things with you!"

"Hey, Naruto, wait!"

Naruto never heard Akira. Instead, they were all swallowed up by a current of water. Isobu jumped up from underneath the water and landed directly on top of Guren, Akira and Naruto, which made everything fade to black.

Akira didn't know where she woke up, but it was like a cave made of stone. It was spiky just like Isobu's shell, and she wondered for a moment if she had been swallowed by the Beast, but it seemed unlikely. Carefully, Akira made her way through the tunnel. It was eerily quiet, only the sound of her breathing could be heard until all of a sudden Akira heard the clash of kunai. The girl ran forward and spotted Naruto and Guren facing off. Guren tossed a crystal shuriken at him, but Naruto dodged it effectively. She was going to throw another shuriken when she collapsed to the ground. Akira ran forward just as Naruto began his approach.

"Stop it, Naruto!"

"Huh!? What do you mean, stop it!?"

Akira knelt beside Guren and looked at her directly in the eyes.

"I don't know Medical Ninjutsu, but I can cauterize the wound with my Fire-style."

"Get away from me," Guren muttered weakly. "I won't let you take Yuukimaru."

"If you don't let me cauterize the wound, you'll bleed out and die, Guren," Akira said sternly. "You're not going to be able to see Yuukimaru if you die."

Guren's eyes widened as Akira's camellia necklace fell into her line of sight again. The woman nodded slightly, and Akira ignored Naruto's shouts as she began to remove Guren's jacket and heat up her hands with a weak Fire-style Jutsu. The Uchiha pulled out a scroll and stuffed it Guren's mouth to muffle the screams as she placed her searing hot hand onto her wound. After a few moments, Guren calmed down and spat out the scroll, then reattached her coat. But there wasn't any time to linger, as an army of miniature Isobu came rushing from where Akira ran through. It was like a swarm of Shino's insects, and they weren't stopping for anything.

"Naruto, grab Guren and let's go!"

Akira could tell he didn't like the idea, but Naruto grabbed Guren by the arm anyway and pulled her along as they ran from the swarm of tiny Isobu. Guren fell once or twice, but the Uchiha didn't have to tell Naruto to help her back up again, he did it on his own. After a bit of running, Akira, Naruto and Guren ducked into a small hole before any Isobu saw them. They were safe for the time being.

"Are you all right?" Naruto asked.

"Why are you trying to help me?" Guren said with great difficulty. The pain was starting to get to her.

"I don't fight an injured enemy," Naruto said reluctantly, which made Akira roll her eyes.

"You could have left me with those Three-Tails..."

"That would have been disgusting to watch!"

"You're both... naive," Guren sighed. "If it had been me, you would have both been dead by now. And I'd leave this place to go find Yuukimaru."

"You want Yuukimaru that badly?" Naruto said, annoyed. "For Orochimaru's sake!?"

Akira looked up at Guren to gauge her reaction. She looked pained by Naruto's words.

"Well, what about you guys!?" she shouted. "You discovered Yuukimru's powers and now you want him! After all, taking the Three-Tails means that the Hidden Leaf Village will be in possession of enormous military power!"

"We don't need such a thing," Naruto said lowly.

"Liar! The village already has the Nine-Tails as well as the Jinchuuriki! People like you with that kind of power have no right to criticize Orochimaru... or us!"

"And I am that Jinchuuriki!"

Guren looked at him surprised.

"But I don't use this power. The Nine-Tails has incredible power that I can't control with my own strength. I've hurt my comrades before I even realized it happened... If it wasn't for Akira, here... they'd be dead. The only person I know who can control me is her. That's why I don't use this power. I don't want to have my friends stop me from hurting them."

"What do you mean... her?"

"I'm sure you know my brother, Guren..."

The woman looked at her for a moment and then suddenly gasped.

"Sasuke..."

"I am Akira Uchiha, and for some reason I possess the ability to suppress the Nine-Tails' Chakra. It also seems like I have an affinity with the other Tailed-Beasts, which is why I'm in charge of keeping an eye on him," Akira said, nodding over to Naruto. "And why I was put in charge of calming Isobu, and to protect Yuukimaru."

Naruto cursed.

"If I hadn't said such a thing..."

"You're the one who told him?" Guren asked. "You're the one who told him that saying?"

"But no matter how much you think of him... If you're gonna use Yuukimaru for Orochimaru's sake, to control the Three-Tails... that's not right. I don't want Yuukimaru to get near a Tailed-Beast. If he becomes like me... I don't want to force him to have an Akira to control him all the time."

"No! I won't let that happen to Yuukimaru!"

"I don't believe you."

"He needs a place he can return to. When his mother died, he lost that place," Guren said. "I'm going to replace her!"

"You should talk! You're a follower of Orochimaru!"

"And I used to study under his tutelage... have you forgotten?" Akira said calmly. Guren stared up at her wide-eyed. "Does that mean I am not fit to think of my brother in the same way you think of him? Does that mean that I am not fit to be a Kunoichi of Konohagakure? No." Akira looked to Guren. "I believe you, Guren. Maybe not that Yuukimaru should return to you, but I believe that he has become the place that you wish to return to."

Naruto's eyes widened a little bit. He was slowly starting to realize that he was wrong, that Guren wasn't just a heartless follower of Orochimaru. It was like herself all over again, Akira thought. She remembered how long it took for her friends to completely forgive her for what she'd done, for the things she did and said. Considering the argument she and Kiba had the other day, Akira still had a lot of work ahead of her to repair the mistakes she'd made. And the girl could see that Guren was trying to do the same by being there for Yuukimaru. She saw how desperately she wanted to be there for him because she had no one else. However, Akira knew that if she did have other people with her, other people to go back to, she knew that Guren would choose Yuukimaru regardless.

Akira gently played at her necklace, a small smile on her face. Guren's gaze traveled to the silver flower around her neck.

"I know that feeling too. That's why I can see it in your eyes, Guren."


	130. Sentimental

"Look, enough of this talk. We gotta get outta here."

For once Naruto was making sense. They couldn't stay trapped in here forever. Akira crossed her legs and began thinking. It was no use splitting up and looking for an exit, at the this thing was, it would take forever to find an exit and it could be too late by then. It would be better if they had more manpower... Akira gasped.

"Naruto! Shadow Clones!"

"I'm on it, Akira!"

Within seconds there were thousands and thousands of Shadow Clones, and they ran in every possible direction to scout an exit from whatever it was they were in. The original Naruto, Guren and Akira stayed put, opting to not get lost in the apparent labyrinth. A few minutes later, one of the Shadow Clones returned with information. The three ninja then ran down a few passages before they spotted an opening above them. Another few clones hoisted them all up and they were safe from the miniature Isobu roaming around the level below.

Akira took up surveillance for a bit since Naruto's clones couldn't, and she wandered down a few paths until she found in incredibly deep hole. She sighed. There was no other choice but to investigate, and so she jumped down into the hole, pulling out her Katana as she landed in case she had to fight immediately. But instead, she found that the fog had returned, and Akira wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. Did it mean she was close to an opening, or had Isobu cast a Jutsu inside this place as well?

All of a sudden, something passed by her. She rapidly swerved and spotted a silhouette walking down a path. Curious, but still wary, Akira followed it down the path a few moments before she began calling out to it. It didn't respond at first, but when she shouted at it loud enough it stopped. Akira took another few steps towards it, irritated. All of a sudden a sharp pain burst through her shoulder. The Uchiha's eyes went wide.

"Orochimaru?"

"Have you succeeded yet, Akira?"

Akira frowned. There was no way Orochimaru was actually here. He would have had to have been beside her with Naruto and Guren to enter this place, and he wasn't, so this was definitely a Genjutsu. But what sort of Genjutsu would make her see Orochimaru, and why was it bringing up the same thing as her dream the day prior? A thought came to mind. There was a mist like this when she had passed out, maybe this was the same mist and it was making her hallucinate. That didn't explain why she was hallucinating Orochimaru trying to teach her things again.

"No, I haven't," Akira said wearily, attempting to see where this was going.

"Strange. The time has been right for a long time, my dear."

"You think that I've surpassed you?"

"I know you have. So why haven't you succeeded yet?"

"Because I haven't tried. I haven't gone to the cave yet," Akira said, getting strangely nervous.

"I'm disappointed in you, Akira," Orochimaru said, scowling. "I thought you would succeed where I haven't. Have you done this on purpose? Did you purposefully want to make a fool of me?"

"What? No! I just - I forgot that you asked me! I've been busy a-and-"

"Busy!? Is that your excuse!?"

"Maru-sama, please! I'll go! I'll do as you say!" Akira said tearfully, falling to her knees. "I don't want to disappoint you! Please, give me a chance!"

All of a sudden it clicked inside Akiras mind. She rose her hands up together and dispelled the Jutsu, erasing Orochimaru's presence before her and leaving nothing but mist. Breathing heavily, Akira stood up with shaky footing. It took her a while before she calmed down and could wipe her tears away, but at least now she knew what this Genjutsu was. It seeped into the minds of its victims and drew out their weakness and turned them into illusions. This is what Akira was searching for. This is why she had agreed to Jiraiya's request a while back. Because deep inside her, Orochimaru was still Maru-sama, her old teacher, her old master, and the little girl inside her would do anything to have him be proud of her again.

Orochimaru was her weakness.

"Akira!"

Akira whipped around, panic still set in her eyes. Naruto and Guren eyes her for a moment, but the Uchiha shook it off and apologized for leaving for so long.

"You all right? It looks like you've seen a ghost," Naruto said.

"I'm fine. It's the fog - it's a Genjutsu that makes you hallucinate your weaknesses."

"What did you see?"

"Nothing," Akira said looking away. "Let's get moving."

However it was too late. The swarm of Isobu had finally made it back towards them, and they were gaining on them. Naruto, Guren and Akira ran in the opposite direction, firing attacks at them, but it wasn't doing anything. The attacks simply bounced right off them as if they had never even happened. Unfortunately, the three ninja came to a dead end, with only another giant hole as their escape, but even if they went down this hole, the Isobu would follow and it'd be a never-ending cycle of hiding and running. Akira cursed under her breath. There had to be a way out, there had to be a way to fight these things. Long gone was the time where Akira could just talk to the Beast.

"Akira, Naruto," Guren said. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What? Now isn't really the time!" Naruto complained.

"Remember I told you that Yuukimaru's mother is dead?"

"Yeah?"

"Well... I'm the one who killed her."

"What did you just say!?"

"At the time, Lord Orochimaru was trying to build the Sound Village. I attacked Yuukimaru's village on his orders. But I collapsed after using too much Chakra. That woman... she saved me even though we were enemies. I let her go. But I... I... Out of my desire to be accepted by Lord Orochimaru... I killed her," Guren explained, tears falling freely from her eyes. "I sealed away the memories and emotions of that day, but when I saw Yuukimaru... they all came back."

"Is that why you're protecting Yuukimaru?" Akira asked.

"I hurt Yuukimaru's soul in a way that I can't make amends for. I have no right to protect him... It's over for me! But I will protect you two even at the cost of my life! You must survive and look after Yuukimaru for me!"

"You know, it's weird hearing that from you," Naruto said.

A comment like that would have earned Naruto a smack behind the head courtesy of Akira, but the girl was suddenly concentrated on something else. It wasn't the impending doom of the thousands of Isobu, nor was it Guren's heartbreaking final speech. It was water. The quiet sound of running water began to reach Akira's ears and it suddenly began to soothe her nerves. Down at her feet a small current was flowing, and it was cool at the touch of her fingertips. All of a sudden, something bumped against her fingers. There were hundreds of camellia flowers floating down the stream.

"Kakashi..." Akira whispered.

Akira's eyes immediately followed the stream of water upwards into a small spiky opening. Smiling brightly, Akira waved her arms in a way that the stream of water rose before herself, Naruto and Guren, whose puzzled expression at the display of ability would have amused her if the Uchiha wasn't so eager to get out of the cave-like place. Naruto, Guren and Akira hopped onto the stream of water filled with camellias and Akira used her ability to make it rise up to the opening from which the water was flowing. With a powerful blast of his Rasengan, Naruto enlarged the opening, and a bright blue light emerged from the hole. For a moment Akira, Guren and Naruto were floating, swirling in an phosphorescent whirlpool of a substance Akira couldn't even feel on her skin. Then all of a sudden Akira was in cool water again, then on land.

Naruto, Guren and Akira had woken up on the battered cliff from earlier. Akira felt pain in her head, Guren felt pain in her wound and Naruto was just as loud as ever - they were safe and alive. Naruto and Guren split off from Akira and went for Yuukimaru, while Akira had her mind set on returning a favour. She dashed across the lake's surface with all the speed she could muster and soon she was inside the smoke one of Guren's old subordinates used. Akira performed a few hand seals as she ran, and just as she reached the edge of the smoke she shouted:

"Wind-style: Great Breakthrough!"

In a split second, all the smoke that had gathered disappeared and Akira could see what was going on inside it. The Sealing team was attempting to seal Isobu again, and Kakashi, Shino and Yamato were protecting the girls from the weird man, the midget and the man with the gas mask. Just as the man with the mask was about to attack Kakashi, Akira made a series of hand seals and pointed her hand at him.

"Multiple Striking Shadow Snakes!"

Dozens of white snakes shot out from Akira's sleeve and wrapped themselves around the enemy. With a flick of her wrist, Akira sent the man flying in the opposite direction and she skidded a halt in front of Kakashi as the enemy landed with a splash.

"Camellias, really? Since when are you this sentimental?" Akira joked.

"Akira! You're alive!" Kakashi said in the happiest tone of voice Akira had ever heard him use.

"Of course I am. What kind of person would I be if I left my best friend behind?"

Akira smiled affectionately at Kakashi, and for a second it was like everything was put on pause just so that the man could admire her face. However, the gazing didn't last very long as multiple smoke clones of the same man returned before Akira and Kakashi. The girl scoffed.

"What a nuisance. Everywhere I go today, there's something in the way!"

"Just watch yourself, Akira. They're different than before."

The girl narrowed her eyes at the clones then activated her Sharingan. Sure enough, their Chakra reserves were much larger than before, much more powerful. Akira couldn't help but curse. The worst case scenario was unfolding before her.

They'd activated their Curse Marks.


	131. Such a Nuisance

Akira watched the power surge inside the man before her, as well as his clones, and soon the smoke screen she'd erased earlier returned to hinder Kakashi and Akira. The girl growled, annoyed. At this rate, the Sealing team was truly in danger, and it would take the rest of her energy to counter all the clones even if Kakashi helped her. Suddenly, Akira's thinking was brought short by numerous fireballs coming straight for her and Kakashi. As predicted, he was a Fire-style user like many Uchiha. However, Akira wasn't like many Uchiha. Akira and Kakashi dodged most of the flame bullets, but panic rose inside Akira when Kakashi was hit with one of them. He hit the water hard, and it took him a while before he stood up again. When he did, two of the clones transformed into thick black smoke and restrained him.

The enemy laughed.

"To think that I would get to personally take down the fabled Kakashi of the Hidden Leaf," he said, still chuckling a bit. "It'll make all this surviving worth it."

"You realise that that's just a clone, right?" Akira said with an amused smirk on her face.

"Surprise," Kakashi said from behind.

His hand rose up behind the man's back and it was glowing blue with the Chidori. Seconds later, the man's torso was pierced and he sank down into the lake, lifeless. Akira frowned. Their Curse Mark was flawed or not developed fully. They never stood a chance. It was sort of pathetic. Then a sudden wave of irritation washed over her.

"' _Fabled Kakashi of the Hidden Leaf_ ,'" Akira scoffed. "I deserve some recognition for my hard work too, you bastard."

"Calm down, Akira. It's not my fault I'm famous," Kakashi teased.

"Yeah, well... Fame isn't everything, old man!"

Kakashi ruffled Akira's hair and she laughed while swatting his hand away. Times like these would never get old.

"I'll go find Shino and Yamato then check on the Sealing team. Go find Guren and Naruto, protect Yuukimaru."

"Don't get yourself killed while I'm gone."

"I'll do my best."

With one last glance at each other, Akira dashed off in the direction she came from, hoping that Naruto and Guren weren't far from their initial landing spot. Luckily, Akira found them above the same destroyed cliff as before. Guren was clinging to a nearly unconscious Yuukimaru, and Naruto was standing in between them and the leader of the subordinates. Akira's eyes narrowed. Something was off. He was off. That nauseating Chakra didn't belong to this stranger.

Without hesitation, Akira pulled out both her Katana and got into position. Cold fury held in her eyes, Akira fixed her gaze upon the enemy and charged up her Katana with her unique white Chakra. She ran up the side of the cliff silently and swiftly, barely alerting anyone to her presence, and then she jumped off and into the air, hovering above the enemy. Akira crossed her arms over her chest, crossing the tips of her blades behind her head, and in one swift movement, slashed her arms outwards. However, it didn't go as well as the last time she'd used this deadly move. Last time she'd successfully decapitated Raiga, this time the stranger avoided the attack just in time, though the girl managed to slice his skin and reveal his true identity.

As Akira landed beside Naruto, the man began to peel off his skin. Slowly, the brown hair and eyes of Guren's old subordinate disappeared to reveal the black eyes and silver hair of Kabuto Yakushi.

"Every time I try and do something, there's always a pest in the way," Akira growled, glaring at Kabuto.

"Akira... I didn't expect you," Kabuto said, returning his glasses to his face. "No matter. If you get in my way, I'll kill you too."

"Ah, yes. And what would Lord Orochimaru say about that, I wonder?"

Kabuto scoffed, irritated. He obviously couldn't kill her, Orochimaru's prized possession.

"Kabuto! You're behind all this!?" Naruto shouted.

"Of course he is, Naruto. When in doubt, blame Kabuto," Akira said airily.

"You won't get away with it!"

"What happened to Rinji!?" Guren asked.

"Rinji became part of my collection long ago," Kabuto said with a smirk. "He was such a nuisance..."

"You're disgusting, Kabuto, really. Who the hell collects dead bodies?" Akira asked in a slight mocking tone. "Did you get jealous because was threatening your position with Orochimaru?"

Kabuto's eyebrows knitted together and Akira withheld a laugh.

"You're surprisingly easy to read Kabuto. Tell me, have you gotten sloppy or have I gotten better at this?"

"Neither."

"Damn it! So everything is going according to your plan!?" Naruto asked.

"Yes. Lord Orochimaru is an amazing man. Everything has gone as he predicted."

"Are you in love, Kabuto?"

"Shut up, Akira!" Kabuto hissed. He resumed his speech: "Guren and Yuukimaru's hearts have become so strongly linked that they trust each other to be the place to return to. Now, if this close relationship is shattered by the revelation of their horrible past, Yuukimaru's anger will release an explosive force. Well, that was supposed to be the case... but even when he learned that Guren killed his mother, Yuukimaru's anger did not explode... Why? Why is that!?"

"Well, unlike you Kabuto, some people have feelings other than hate," Akira said sardonically. "The human heart is such a strange thing, you know. Hm, I guess you wouldn't know considering you don't really have one, now do you?"

"You... You're unforgivable!" Naruto shouted. "What the hell are you doing with Guren and Yuukimaru's feelings!? You don't play with people's feelings!"

"Yeah, see, Naruto, this is one of those basic concepts that Kabuto can't comprehend."

"Didn't I tell you to shut up!?"

Kabuto threw a few scalpels at her out of anger, and Akira dodged them flawlessly without even having to raise her Katana. She rose an eyebrow at him and smirked.

"Touchy, touchy," Akira muttered. "So what is it Orochimaru wants with the Three-Tails, anyway?"

"It's not just the Hidden Leaf Village and the Akatsuki, but all the Hidden Villages will soon engage in long, fierce clashes," Kabuto said, as he and Akira began to circle each other. "Lord Orochimaru has his eyes on that violent future... that was the reason he needed the Three-Tails and Yuukimaru."

Akira and Kabuto clashed blades a few times, each of them narrowly missing the other at each swing. Akira smiled to herself - she'd gotten good enough to keep up with Kabuto.

"That's all gibberish to me," Naruto said, sounding confused. "All I can say is: Guren! Run and show us that you can protect Yuukimaru!"

"I will. I'll protect him with my life!"

Guren back away and jumped down the cliff with Yuukimaru in her arms. Kabuto growled and made a move towards her, but Akira swiftly rose her sharp blade up to Kabuto's throat and barred his passage. She shot him a cold glare.

"I'll slit your throat without hesitation, Kabuto. I'm out of patience, and I've never really been the merciful type."

"I suppose you haven't."

All of a sudden, Kabuto bit his thumb and pulled out a scroll. Akira cursed as Kabuto brought back Rinji with his Dead Soul Jutsu. The reanimated body went straight down the cliff where Guren and Yuukimaru disappeared to. The Uchiha ordered Naruto to go down and help them, while she dashed towards Kabuto, her Katana at the ready. Her Katana clashed with Kabuto's scalpels with rapid speed and he countered it all, though every time he did the tips of her blades came close to striking his face. He was at a disadvantage considering the length of her her weapons.

Pain seared through Akira's heat a moment later. Something had happened to Guren and Yuukimaru had returned into the state where all of his Chakra poured out of him. Surely, this amount of power would send Isobu into a frenzy and the second attempt at sealing him would be a failure. Akira glared at Kabuto as he laughed.

"You're sick, Kabuto. He's just a kid."

"Well, it's like you said: I have no heart."

Kabuto smirked at her, and then he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Akira let out an angry growl, but she regained her composure quite quickly - she had to. Without thinking twice, Akira jumped down beside Naruto and Yuukimaru, then down onto the lake's surface, gaze fixed on the rampaging Isobu. It was shooting enormous water bullets at everything it looked at, whether it was a cliff, a bunch of trees or even just thin air. Akira even dodged a few bullets herself, though they didn't come one after the other as Isobu was simply shooting an anything and everything, no particular target in mind.

Akira couldn't talk to him in this state, it would only put her in danger. She had to attack. Its weak spot was the eyes, but if her Jutsu had enough power, a general attack on its being would be enough to send him back into the depths of the lake. Resolute, Akira kneaded Chakra in her stomach and performed a single hand seal as she dashed towards Isobu. Then she skidded to a halt and took a deep breath.

"Fire-style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

Fire was weak against water, but not an Uchiha's fire. Out of Akira's mouth came a stream of fire so large it was parent to the size and power of her Water-style Jutsu. It covered the water ten feet on either side of the girl, and it burned so hot that Akira had to close her eyes while performing the Jutsu so as to not dry them out. Isobu let out a pained cry as the flames enveloped him, and it didn't take long before he dove back underneath the water.

As the flames began to cease coming from Akira's mouth, the girl fell to her knees, weakened. She'd used too much Chakra today. Too many nuisances to deal with. Despite this, Akira stood back up and returned to Naruto, who was carrying an unconscious Yuukimaru on his back.

"What happened to Guren?"

"She trapped herself and that dead Rinji inside a crystal and threw herself in the lake. She died protecting Yuukimaru."


	132. Visions to Pursue

Gloom hung around Yuukimaru as he lay unconscious in the safe hands of Shizune's Medical-Ninjutsu, for Naruto cast his saddened shadow above him and inside the entire room. The camellia crystal that Yuukimaru carried with him, the crystal that was supposed to remain pristine as long as Guren was safe, was covered in so many cracks that the flower inside was barely visible. And while Yuukimaru would live, it wasn't just the crystal that was damaged after the entire ordeal. According to Shizune, at least half of his Chakra network had ruptured, which meant that he was just a normal boy now, unable of using an insane amount of Chakra to control Isobu. Akira thought that that was for the best - it removed the threat of Orochimaru obtaining Isobu and Kabuto coming back to hunt the boy down.

Akira was in the other room, far away from the gloom, and inside a aura of worry. Sakura had been using her Medical-Ninjutsu on the Uchiha for a long time now, and it didn't seem like Akira's wounds or fatigue were leaving her. Akira didn't expect it to either. While Sakura worried beside her, Akira only thought it was normal given what she'd gone through these past two days. Under any other circumstances, they would have been right to worry, but considering she'd fought the Three-Tails, Kabuto and strange illusions of her former master... this was actually less bad than Akira had anticipated going into this.

"You feeling any better?" Kiba asked, walking over.

"Yeah. At least I'm not dizzy anymore."

"I'm sorry about the other day."

"Don't worry about it, Kiba. You were right in a way. I do use his Jutsu way too freely, but that doesn't imply anything."

"I know."

"I'm glad we're on the same page, then."

Akira smiled at Kiba, and he smiled back, the issue resolved at least for the time being. He returned beside Hinata and Shino, and Kakashi returned from the other room alongside Shizune and Yamato. Naruto followed after, leaving Yuukimaru's side for the first time in hours. It seemed like there was something they had to say, and by the look on Yamato's face, Akira wasn't sure she was going to approve.

"We have new orders from Lady Tsunade," Kakashi said. "We will abort our current mission. Our orders are to return to the village immediately."

"That's sudden," Sai noted.

"Hey, come on, is it okay to leave the Three-Tails?" Kiba asked.

"We won't have to worry about that," Yamato said. "They're sending ninja to replace us and maintain the watch."

"There's nothing we can do even if we remain here," Shizune added. "Everyone has suffered too much damage. Lady Tsunade has decided that it would be more effective if we brought back the information we gathered this time around and apply it to our next plan instead."

Akira didn't agree, but she didn't have a say in it. She was sure that at least Kakashi, stubborn as he was, wasn't of the same mind as Lady Tsunade, but he couldn't say anything against her either.

"We'll move out tomorrow morning," the Kakashi announced. "I want you all to get a good night's rest before we head out. I suppose you're all dismissed now."

A small amused smile made itself onto Akira's lips. She turned to Sakura and thanked her for her treatment, then stood and went up the stairs of the house to stand outside on the balcony alone and in peaceful silence. It started as a gentle caress on her skin, like a cool summer breeze that soothed souls, but soon enough the silence become oppressing, everything Akira had done wrong that day suddenly flooding to the forefront of her mind. She could have made more efforts to calm Isobu, she could have dealt with that stupid illusion of Orochimaru in a better manner, maybe she could have even spared Guren if she hadn't been so distracted by Kabuto's idiocy.

Akira subconsciously began humming a quiet melody to herself, and before she knew it every single worry washed away like it had never been there. Her eyes closed and she breathed deeply, recalling the soft song that used to be sung to her. She didn't really remember who used to sing it to her, but she remembered everything about it like she had heard only minutes before. And slowly, the hums became small musical words here and there, and eventually Akira found herself halfway through the song, quietly singing it to herself, to the night, to the people she forgot were below and could hear her.

 _And with a sound in the long time abandoned ruin_

 _The crystal panes between us, they fell away into dust_

 _That cage you once were within is now gone to the past_

 _Not turning back you walk away with me_

 _That throbbing beat, so breathlessly_

 _Calling you on, to go and see_

 _The window opens and you find_

 _That you are free_

 _You say if you could run_

 _You'd never stop 'till you found it_

 _That you'd always move on_

 _Following that clear distant song_

 _It grips you from afar_

 _A shining hand of the future_

 _You will pursue that dream_

 _To that clear blue sky_

 _I understand that you_

 _Have fallen in the dark_

 _But still you will, continue on_

 _To follow the light in your heart_

 _You say if you could fly_

 _You'd never want to come back down_

 _That you'd only have eyes_

 _For that blue, blue sky_

 _If you can make it through_

 _I know you'll find what you're seeking_

 _Keep trying to break free_

 _To that clear blue sky_

Oddly enough, these words didn't only remind of her of the brothers she'd lost and wanted back home. She blamed Jiraiya for creating an association to Orochimaru as well. Well, she blamed him, but it could easily have been everything about this mission that made Akira think of him. She chuckled self-deprecatingly. What was she doing thinking of him - the man who'd caused nothing but hurt? She couldn't help but get the feeling that it wasn't completely wrong, though. Her vision of him inside of the place Isobu took her was an indication of that. Strange visions had been plaguing her for months now, but they weren't harmful... much, and there was never something she couldn't deal with immediately. She'd found information on Takara quite easily, on her kekkei genkai, and Isobu had hinted at something else about herself concerning her Chakra and the Tailed-Beasts. These were all things she had and would find out more about, and maybe her vision of Orochimaru and the Ryūchi Cave was something else... she needed to pursue?


	133. Three Years

Kakashi looked over at Akira as he sipped his tea. She looked solemn. Despite the pleasant lunch they were sharing at the Uchiha compound, the sun streaming through the windows, Akira's mind was clouded with grey. Kakashi got worried when her hand went up to her shoulder, to cover up the Curse Mark that ached dully since she woke that morning. It was like a bad omen to her. She knew that Orochimaru was far away, and that the dull pain in her shoulder had nothing to do with the man's proximity, but the pain was still there and it meant something. It meant that he was most likely in excruciating pain, the last few days or hours in his current vessel making everything painful and unbearable.

Akira didn't know what to feel. Any day now and Sasuke could become Orochimaru's next vessel. It angered her that she wasn't there to do anything, it saddened her that Sasuke would most likely let it happen - unless her confident speech to Orochimaru came true and he refused in the end, but there was also no joy. That bothered her. She couldn't even find the slightest joy or satisfaction in knowing that the man who'd caused so much hardship in her life was suffering. All she felt was pity... and worry.

"I need to go."

"Huh, go?"

Akira didn't hear Kakashi. She was already on her feet and halfway to her bedroom before he'd spoken. He rushed over to her just as she began packing supplies for what looked like a long mission. All of her ninja tools were being stuffed into her pouch and dried foods from her supplies bin were shoved into her backpack alongside scrolls, clothes and a few possessions. Over her tank-top and hakama, Akira swung a thick kimono which she tied loosely with the belt that held both her Katana. She even fetched her wrist mounts and her old Tachi, which she stared at for a long moment, and tied only one to her right arm as to not cover the summoning tattoo. She tossed the other back into her closet.

"What are you doing?"

"I told you, I need to go," Akira said calmly. "There's something that I need to do."

"And you need months worth of supplies?" Kakashi asked, frowning.

"This will take months."

"What will? Akira, what are you doing!?"

"Training. I need to... succeed at something," the girl sighed. "I need to... Oh, I don't know. I just need to go."

"Training? Succeeding? Leaving?" Kakashi said, rushing to Akira's side. She looked up at him, a little defeated. "What are you talking about?"

"You know that I've been having these... visions or whatever, right? I think it's time that I followed one."

"Which one? The only ones you've talked about are the ones about the First and Second Hokage and their sister."

"I had another in the Mist that the Three-Tails created," Akira admitted.

"But that was just an illusion, Akira. It wasn't a vision."

"Fine. It was a dream, all right? I'm following a dream that I had when I was passed out on the lakeside."

Kakashi frowned. Akira sighed and grabbed her bag, then bowed to the stand holding her armour and exited her room.

"A dream? You realise that that's ridiculous, right?" Kakashi said, beginning to sound a little panicked.

"Yes, I do. But do you realise that this Curse Mark doesn't hurt for random reasons?"

"It's hurting again?"

"It's a dull pain. Don't worry, Orochimaru isn't nearby but he's..."

Akira shook her head and kept on walking in the direction of Lady Tsunade's office. At least she was going to get approval, Kakashi noted mentally. It still didn't reassure him.

"I just need to accomplish something, all right?"

"Does it have to do with _him_?"

"Oh, don't say it like you're a disapproving mother, Kakashi," Akira snapped. "You don't even need to ask, you just know. That's why you're all worried."

"No, I'm worried because my best friend is going somewhere and I don't know where that is or if she'll be safe."

Akira heaved a sigh and stopped. He was right. She was being unreasonable.

"I'm going to the Ryūchi Cave."

Kakashi's eyes widened.

"I'm going to train in Senjutsu with the White Snake Sage. But I need to make a pit-stop first and that... well, I'd rather not let Lady Tsunade know."

"You're going to find him, aren't you?"

"I need to tell him something before I go training." Akira resumed her fast-paced walk. "And I need to go fast."

"What - why?"

"I can't tell you, Kakashi."

"Why the hell not!?" Kakashi asked, grabbed Akira by her shoulders.

"Because you have an obligation to the village. Anything I tell you, you have to report. I can't let that happen. Just this once."

"You know where he is, don't you?"

"No, I don't, and that's why I can't afford to waste anymore time."

Akira pulled herself out of Kakashi's grip and darted off to Lady Tsunade's office. He followed behind her and waited on top of the roof as usual, listening in to Akira and Tsunade's conversation, worry increasing inside his body. It took a while before Akira could convince Tsunade and persuade her that she wasn't going to go see Orochimaru, and Akira had the feeling she didn't believe her, but it didn't matter. In the end, Lady Tsunade allowed Akira to leave the village and return once her training was complete, and that's what she was going to do.

Kakashi jumped back down to the ground once Akira exited the building, and he walked beside her in silence all the way to the edge of the Village. She didn't say goodbye to anyone, for she knew that they'd just hold her back again, and it took everything in her being to stop for Kakashi who was walking right beside her. She sent him a half-hearted smile. That was all she could muster. Akira heard him curse as she turned away, and as soon as she did he grabbed her hand and pulled her back into a tight hug. The Uchiha squeezed him back and enjoyed his warmth for a few more seconds before pulling away.

"Afraid I'm gonna forget to come back?" Akira joked, a wry smile tugging at her lips. She put her hand to her chest. "You're right here. I can't forget you."

From her kimono Akira gently pulled out the camellia necklace he'd given her three years ago, and while it didn't completely relieve him, Kakashi's posture drastically loosened and Akira could see the gentle smile on his face through the mask. She smiled back at him and turned away, beginning her journey to Orochimaru's hideout. As soon as her face was out of sight, the smile dropped and a look of worry replaced it. Her hand went to the dull pain on her left shoulder and she frowned. Akira had to hurry.

Two days went by before the pain in Akira's shoulder grew to the standard sharpness of Orochimaru's presence. She was deep within the Land of Sound, further than she'd ever been before, and it was then that she knew she was close. Kabuto's nauseating Chakra was present, the pain in Akira's shoulder kept growing, and she even felt the low and dangerous growl that Sasuke's Chakra gave off.

After looking around a bit, Akira found a small entrance at the base of a tree. It was a well, and Akira hesitated before jumping down into the darkness. She was sure everyone inside knew she was here. Her nerves were getting the better of her; she was alone inside Orochimaru's hideout with a man who wouldn't hesitate to kill her after a few lines of sarcastic banter, her brother who'd attempted to kill her, as well as her former Master who lay sick somewhere in this maze of tunnels. Akira didn't know whether she considered herself lucky, but the flow of Chakra coming from Sasuke and the increasing pain in her shoulder made it easy to weave through the tunnels without getting lost.

Until the pain stopped altogether.

Akira's breath hitched in her throat and she paused, stunned by the sudden painlessness in her shoulder. Even Sasuke's Chakra presence began to lower. Akira's mind wanted to tell her feet to step backwards, dreading what she would find ahead, but her body lurched forward and she broke into a run. Her feet hit the ground loudly, and she slid as she turned around a few corners, catching herself just before hitting the ground only to speed back up again.

All of a sudden she stopped again, facing a long hallway with two people standing before her. Kabuto and Sasuke were staring at each other, but the second that Sasuke spotted Akira, his Sharingan eyes glanced over to her. He stared at her for a few moments before he began to walk away, and Akira didn't even bother running after him. She didn't even want to. Instead, she walked up to Kabuto who was standing stunned just before a doorway that looked caved in. He turned to look at her, panic in his eyes, and Akira returned his look with one of worry.

Akira nearly collapsed at the sight of what was inside the room. There was blood everywhere. It was splattered on the walls and floor and ceiling like some abstract painting Akira never wanted to see. There were chunks of what looked like a large white snake scattered everywhere, at some places small yet complete white snakes lay dead. At one end of the large dissected snake was a head of black hair, its face turned towards the wall, and Akira didn't dare go over and look. Not that she'd noticed anyway. Akira was focused solely on the vessel that lay dead and empty on a bed. It was Orochimaru as she knew him; pale skin, black hair and golden yellow eyes as still as the rest of him.

Akira's jaw clenched and she cursed loudly as her eyes dripped with tears against her own will. Whatever had kept her from collapsing earlier crumbled, and moment by moment the tears kept falling inexplicably fast. Akira turned and pressed her forehead to the wall, turning away from the unsightly scene. Kabuto stared at her begin to tremble.

"Why the hell am I crying for him!?" Akira yelled, punching the wall with all her might.

Her fist went right through, and the skin on her knuckles split and bled onto the floor. Akira watched it mingle with Orochimaru's blood on the ground for a moment before storming away, pushing past Kabuto as she walked.

"Akira!"

"What do you want, Kabuto!?" Akira shouted furiously, turning to look at the man with tears of anger falling down her face. "Now isn't the time for your wise-ass crap!"

"I just... I wanted to know why you came."

"I wanted to tell him that I was going to do it. I'm going to succeed where he couldn't... I'm going to make him proud."


	134. Sacred White Snake Sage

The hills that lay friendly in the daylight, like the pillows of the land, were darkly ominous by nightfall. The paths that were illuminated just hours before became lost in a blackness that even moonlight couldn't help. The trees were once magnificent in sunshine towered over Akira as she stepped across the border to the Land of Fire once again. And then suddenly, freezing fog wrapped around Akira like a blanket, the familiar sights of the forest lay mysterious, hiding, looming out at her in their whitened haze at the last minute like images from some half forgotten dream. She held out her hand in front of her and watched it become partially obscured, which made her walking pace slow to a full stop. Akira looked ahead into the mist, a little weary. Choosing not to go in was no choice at all, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy as she steeled herself to creep into the fog. The air was several degrees cooler; Akira would be shivering if not for her thick kimono. Her eyes and ears were on high alert, listening and looking for signs of life around her, but there was none. Back home such a silence would be tranquil, but out here it was more like the quiet of a graveyard.

The sound of her feet hitting a puddle of water brought Akira to a sudden stop. She brought her hands together at her chest and took a deep breath, then spread her arms apart at the same time she parted the mist in front of her. The light water particles suddenly condensed and moved to either side of Akira to form a sort of passage which she walked through carefully. It seemed that the lush forest of the Land of Fire had rapidly turned into a marsh of tall reeds, the soil submersed in water. The moonlight fell directly onto a tree trunk, likely felled for just this purpose, a bridge. Akira eyed it suspiciously. There was nothing to steady oneself. The drop wasn't dangerous, just a messy landing. With one careful foot she tested the bark. It was damp with a smattering of moss. Carefully, Akira crossed the makeshift bridge and once she reached the other side all the fog was gone, but she still couldn't see more than a few feet ahead. It was like something was keeping her vision clouded.

"Welcome to the Ryūchi Cave."

Akira nearly jumped, but remembered what this place was and kept her composure. She calmly turned to the voice that had greeted her. It was a woman with fair skin and dark hair that was tied into three buns. She wore a complex layered white kimono, with a single green tomoe adorning the neckline. Akira thought she looked kind, though she knew that her appearance was deceiving.

"I am Tagorihime. You must be tired after all your wandering. Please, let me take someplace to rest."

It was tempting, but Akira had her own dried foods packed up and it wasn't as if she needed the rest - she'd gone longer without any. Besides, Akira had remembered what Orochimaru had told her about the cave, about the trials. Wasn't accepting the wrong kind of hospitality a classic trial?

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm not looking for refreshments. My destination is the White Snake Sage. Unless you are him, I have no business with you."

The woman bowed respectfully and then she suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving Akira behind in the ominous quiet once again. She heaved a sigh and moved forward for a little while until she was completely engulfed in the darkness she was seeing before her earlier. Then all of a sudden the room she was in illuminated. She was inside a cave with an unknown light source, the only exit was sealed and the ground was covered in what looked like jewels. On the door there was a single arbitrarily shaped slot, and Akira stared at it, thinking, until, at the other end of the room, another woman in the same outfit as the first appeared.

"Hello!" she said cheerfully. "My name is Ichikishimahime. Do you want to play with me?"

"Not particularly, no," Akira said, deadpan.

"Too bad! That's the only way you're going to get out of here."

The Uchiha sighed and looked back at the girl.

"What's the game?"

"Find the stone that matches the slot... and you win!"

"Well, that's a pain..."

There were thousands of stones and jewels on the ground, and none of them had the same shape or size. It would be a long and tedious task, but still... Akira found it too simple. The stone would be found by process of elimination in any case, so why was this a task? Was it to waste time, or was it about something else completely? Akira frowned and looked back to the woman. She smiled.

"It's the stone around your neck, isn't it?"

The girl chuckled.

"How'd you know?"

"It's opal," Akira said with a smile. "It symbolises regeneration and good luck... like the skin of a white snake."

"Hm, very well..."

The girl disappeared like the last and soon after the walls dissolved into the forest she was in earlier. Akira resumed her walk. Within a few minutes, Akira could see a cave up ahead, with a large arched entrance. The limestone caves that Orochimaru spoke of were within her reach. However... wasn't there supposed to be a third trial? As the Uchiha girl passed through the arch and into the cave, another woman appeared, but Akira didn't like the look this one was giving her.

"Who're you?" Akira asked, slightly annoyed.

"I am Tagitsuhime, and I am here to test your heart."

"My heart?"

"You are determined, yes? You've passed all the challenges without batting those long eyelashes of yours," the woman crooned. "But are you prepared to sacrifice everything?"

"I've already sacrificed lots of things in my life... what else have I got to lose?" Akira said with a shrug.

"I told you, I am here to test your heart."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I will only allow you to pass... If you give me that necklace."

Akira's eyes widened and her hand shot up to the camellia necklace around her neck. Tagitsuhime smiled malevolently. Her features became snake-like, her eyes as golden as Orochimaru's, and she slithered up to Akira's face. She eyed her carefully, then looked down at the necklace.

"You cherish it, yes?" the snake-woman hissed. "Then sacrifice it. You were told that you'd need to sacrifice anything in order to obtain the Power of the White Snake! Then do it! Give me that necklace!"

"This necklace?" Akira asked, voice cracking.

"Yes, that necklace!"

"Done."

Akira pulled it off her neck and tossed it to the woman, whose features returned to normal immediately. Tagitsuhime put the necklace in her pocket and moved aside, letting the young Uchiha pass, but Akira stopped right in front of her and smiled. Suddenly, she disappeared into a puff of smoke, which made Tagitsuhime screech and frantically search her pockets. Akira reappeared from behind a nearby tree and smiled.

"You cheated! You didn't pass the test!"

"Of course I did," Akira said with a smile. "You told me to you give you that specific necklace. So I did. You never mentioned the real one."

Tagitsuhime screamed and launched herself at Akira, baring her fangs and her snake-like appearance. In one swift movement, Akira pulled out her Katana and held them at her attacker's throat, which prompted her to stop immediately. The girl gazed coldly at Tagitsuhime.

"I passed your test. You and I have no quarrel with each other."

"She is correct, Tagitsuhime," a voice sounded from afar.

Akira narrowed her eyes at the woman and walked past her, sheathing her Katana as she went. Soon, her surroundings faded and a large limestone cliff appeared before her eyes. Encrusted inside it was a beautiful temple. It looked deserted, a diffuse blue light shining over it which made an eerie contrast with the vibrant colours of the pagoda. When Akira entered the temple, the fragrance of incense was heavy and the sound of chimes could be heard in the distance. This was not a world of fantasy, though it looked like it. Everything Akira could see around her was so real, so material, so substantial and yet so impenetrable. The atmosphere was now becoming dense and heavy and she had to move on to the next chamber and get out of the cloud of thick incense. There was a short and very old man waiting for her there, sitting comfortably on a large throne-like chair.

"I see you have come to me unharmed," the man said. His snake-like eyes narrowed at Akira. "Do I know you?"

Akira took a deep breath and knelt before the small old man, bowing her head in respect.

"No, you do not. I am a... student of someone who once came to you."

"Hm... Orochimaru's student, yes?"

The Uchiha looked up at the Sage, eyes shining with curiosity.

"How did I know? I can feel his Chakra running inside you... but it is calm, dormant. You have managed to suppress it, I see." The man straightened. "You have come to me to learn?"

"My name is Akira Uchiha, and yes, I have come to learn from you," Akira said honestly. "Orochimaru asked me many years ago to pursue this when I was ready. He wanted me to succeed in his place."

"He asked a student to succeed in his place? Hm, he's gotten soft..."

Akira almost laughed. Orochimaru, soft? There was no way that man could be described as soft. Then again, maybe he was even more ruthless than now when he sought out the Snake Sage's power.

"Filled with greed that is man. Crawling in the darkness... that is man's true form. All those who have come to see me have abandoned everything out of sheer greed. And yet..." The Snake Sage looked down to the necklace gleaming around Akira's neck, and then he stared back at her face, almost as if examining her. "Yet you come to me to fulfill someone else's wish, and accomplished my tasks without abandoning what you love. What is it you seek from me, my dear?"

"I seek what my master could not accomplish," Akira said. She sighed and stood up, looking almost pleadingly at the Sage. "There is a war coming. I can feel it in my bones, in my soul. I've had visions of war and death and suffering, and I've already lived through enough of it to know that I don't want to lose any more than I already have. I've come to you seeking power, yes, but not for the selfish reasons my master did and those before him. I come seeking power for protection - to protect others to the best of my ability. However, I also come to you seeking power as a final request from Orochimaru, to honor him for personal reasons I don't even understand myself. But mostly, I come to you seeking power to gain the ability to bring my family home... To bring my brother home."

The Snake Sage sighed and stood, his small stature even more apparent than before. Akira straightened herself as the man circled her, looking deep in thought, until he finally stopped before her and his body shifted like the womens' bodies had before. Within seconds, the small man had become an immense snow white snake with slit, vibrant green eyes that seemed to gaze directly into Akira's soul.

"You've brought months worth of supplies for nothing, my dear," the snake hissed. "This is does not happen the same way as it does with the Toad Sages of Mount Myōboku."

"What do you mean?" Akira asked, eyes narrowing.

"I will immediately imbue you with the power of the White Snake, and it is up to your body to decide whether you acquire it permanently or not. Should your body refuse the Senjutsu Chakra... you will die."


End file.
